Mobile Suit Gundam 0079: Zeonic Special Ops
by Lord Darth Revan
Summary: The soldiers of the Duchy of Zeon's premier special operations unit, the Midnight Fenrir, takes on the Federation from the Earth Descent Operation to the Battle of A Boa Qu.
1. Fenrir Fangs

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators. One can only dream._

_So, this is my first Gundam fanfic, not really, but the first one I published. It's a re-telling of Mobile Suit Gundam- Zeonic Front. I used some license, but it's pretty faithful to the game's storyline, just branches out at the very end. I'm using army rather than navy ranks and the spellings from the game manual. _

It is the year 0079 of the Universal Century. A half-century has passed since mankind began moving its burgeoning population to gigantic orbiting space colonies. Where people are born and raised, and die.

The colonies furthest from the Earth, Side 3, proclaimed itself the Duchy of Zeon and launched a war of independence against the Earth Federation. Initial fighting lasted one month and half the human population was lost. People were horrified at the indescribable atrocities that had been committed in the name of independence.

3 months have passed since the war began, they are at a stalemate. Zeon invaded Earth with the purpose of securing land and resources for the long war ahead. At the head of the invasion forces were the fearsome Zeon humanoid fighters known as mobile suits. At the head of the mobile suit forces was one unit:

The Midnight Fenrir

Suit up.

**Chapter 1**

**Fenrir Fangs**

**1600 Universal Century 0079, March 10 **

**Earth Orbit, above North America, **

**2****nd**** Fleet of the Space Attack Force**

**Zeon Gwazine Class Battleship **_**Gwazine **_

Major Garret Schmitzer limped down the corridor of the _Blackstalker_ on the way to the briefing. He was a decorated veteran of the Battle of Loum, the most costly battle in the War so far. He had been injured in the battle and lost the lower half of his left leg. He now walked with the aid of a crutch. Under orders from Rear Admiral Kycillia Zabi, he had formed the Midnight Fenrir Corps as a special operations group in preparation for the Second Earth Descent Operation scheduled for 0300 on March 11. Tomorrow. The Major knew full well the significance of this one operation- since the beginning of the Universal Century, the Earth Sphere had been dominated by the Federation. This one operation just might signal the end of their dominance.

"Rear Admiral Zabi, Major Garret Schmitzer reporting as ordered!" He said as he stood at attention in the briefing room.

"At ease major." The woman responded as she turned from the tactical map. Even though she and Schmitzer had a close working relationship, he was nevertheless intimidated by the tall, thin woman in front of him. Her masked face never showed any emotion and her high, stern voice made even a compliment sound like a reprimand.

"Thank you for volunteering your unit for this operation. I believe you know my younger brother, Colonel Garma Zabi?"

"Yes ma'am. We fought together at Loum." Schmitzer answered as Garma Zabi walked into the room. He was as handsome as his sister was imposing, and as personable as she was reserved. He brushed stray hair out of his face as he addressed the major.

"Garret, I'm pleased to see you again. How's the leg?"

"It's coming along rather well sir, I can pilot my zaku again finally."

"I heard about that, Zeonic's scientists reconfigured the controls to two pedals instead of four. I'm glad you're leading a facet of this operation. I'll be interested to see if your skill as a tactician match your talent as a pilot." Garma said as he took his seat at the briefing table.

"Thank you for your confidence, sir. I look forward to serving under you." Garret answered as he also took his seat.

The commanders of other mobile suit units arrived soon after Schmitzer. He recognized several of them: Col. Walter Curtis, Lt. Col. Norris Packard, Gen. Yuri Kellarny, Col. M'Quve, and Capt. Steiner Hardy among others. As they took their seat around the large briefing table, Kycilia stood at the head to deliver the briefing.

" Good afternoon officers. As you all have read the details of the operation and the overall objectives, I will proceed with the specifics of the Operation. As you know, there will be three areas invaded in the initial stages of this operation: Europe, Australia, and North America. General Kellarny and Colonel M'Quve: your units will invade the European Theater, specifically the Odessa region. Your objective is to hold the region and advance outward as the opportunity presents itself. Colonel Curtis and Lieutenant Colonel Packard- you will land and establish a beachhead in Australia in preparation for a push into Southeast Asia. The strategy for these two continents is very simple: attack and destroy. There is no overreaching strategy other than that of general outward expansion. Do not over-extend your supply lines." As she finished this portion of the operation, she paused as the commanders took notes on what she had said.

" Are there any questions?" she asked, when the officers responded in the negative, she continued, " Very well, on to North America. I don't think I need to mention that this continent is the most important target. Our forces in North America will establish a beachhead for the invasion of South America and the destruction of Jaburo- Federation general head quarters. In the first phase, Captain Hardy and the Cyclops team will knock out an radar early warning station in northern California and the Midnight Fenrir under Major Schmitzer will do the same at an airbase in Montreal. In the second phase, four divisions of mobile suits and other vehicles will descend, two each to east and west. The eastern force will take control of New Yark and the surrounding area. The western force will proceed to take over the series of installations known as California Base. Colonel Garma Zabi will be the commander of this invasion effort, known henceforth as the Zeon Earth Attack Force. I do not need to remind you that the success of this operation rests on your actions- we cannot give the Federation time to counter attack. _This invasion cannot fail._ The Operation begins a 0300 tomorrow. Dismissed!"

As the commanders left the briefing room to brief their own units, Garret limped down the hall already planning Fenrir's attack. He would have three teams of mobile suits. Nine suits total. More than enough. However, when he returned to the Fenrir's Chivvay _Blackstalker_, there was a hitch in his plan. The supply unit could only obtain six mobile suits. Garret called an emergency meeting with his pilots and technical staff to re-plan the attack.

"What the hell's going on? I'm supposed to be in bed for another six hours!" Sergeant Major Matt Austin bellowed as he stormed into the room. Loud and coarse, the Sergeant major was a veteran of mobile suit combat from its inception.

"Wow Matt, it's a wonder you've been written up for insubordination 15 times." Captain Lou Roher observed as he turned to face the enlisted man. Capt. Roher had gained notoriety during Operation British for destroying a _Magellan-class_ battleship using only his heat hawk.

"Screw you"

"Thank you"

"Enough gentleman." Maj. Schmitzer ordered as he walked into the room. Behind him came the technical officer, Migaki; the head mechanic; and a pretty, young 1st Lieutenant with deep red hair.

"Yo! Major what's with the coed, shouldn't she still be out at a bar somewhere?" Austin shouted when he saw the young girl.

"Go to Hell, old man"

"Got an attitude, this one."

"Really Austin! For once could you just put a lid on it! This is Lieutenant Charlotte Hepner, she comes to us from the Academy. I requested her myself as she actually saw combat during a training exercise. Now if you're all done acting like high schoolers, we have actual business to attend to. The supply unit just notified me that they could not locate another unit of Zaku II's for this operation. As it stands right now, we have three Zaku II F's and three Zaku I A's. It is my decision that Roher and Austin are the team for this mission. Hepner will fill the operator's position. Lou do yo-"

"WHAT? I'm sorry to interrupt sir, but I prepared just as hard for this operation as they did I-"

"Lieutenant! I selected these two for one reason and one reason only- they have seen actual combat against a prepared Federal force more than once. Don't question my authority again. Now, Lou, since you wrote the plan for this operation, what do you suggest we do to compensate for the loss of 3 suits?"

"Sir, I think that the plan will work just fine as is. The only change I should suggest is that Blue Team double back and join Red Team for the attack on the command center, since we no longer have a Greed Team."

"Good. That's the plan then. Migaki, are the experimental sensors installed in the suits?"

"Yes sir," the tech chief responded, adjusting his glasses, "and the balancers have been readjusted for Earth's gravity. There are no problems that I can foresee right now."

"Thank you, and Sergeant Anderson, is all the ordinance loaded and the weapons checked?" Schmitzer asked, turning to the young man in charge of Fenrir's mobile suits' maintenance.

"Yes sir. Everything's ready for combat.," He answered, "if there's nothing else sir, I need to go to supervise the loading of the suits into the HLV."

"Yes, go ahead and take care of that. Get some sleep, all of you. You board the HLV at 0245 tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

Six hours later, Austin, Roher, and their respective wingmen were in the hangar of the HLV preparing to board their mobile suits. As they put on their pilot suits, Schmitzer came to see them off.

"Remember, gentlemen, re-entry will be rough, and your mobile suits won't operate the same inside Earth's gravity. This is a surprise attack, you must move quickly to subdue any enemies before they can sound the alarm. We can't let them organize. Good hunting."

"All hands- prepare for departure. Mobile suit pilots- board your zakus and strap in" Lt. Hepner said over the comm., " There'll be a comm. blackout during re-entry, once you land I'll be able to guide you to your target."

"Launching in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1- Launch!"

With a lurch, the HLV broke away from the Chivvay and entered the atmosphere. Its hull glowed red with the heat of atmospheric friction. After 30 minutes, the HLV reached the upper atmosphere- the first Zeon troops to land on the Earth.

**0330 Montreal, Former Canada, North American Territory**

After the HLV set down, the hatch fell open, and six zaku's stepped out. The first, a MS-06F Zaku II piloted by Roher, activated its mono-eye camera and surveyed the area.

"So this is Earth. Seems pretty calm out here." He remarked.

"Yeah, well, we'll soon fix that!" Austin shouted as he stepped out of the HLV with his team of MS-05A Zaku I's. Every hard point on his suit was occupied by a magazine for the 280mm Bazooka it held in its hands.

"Teams, report in!" Hepner's voice came through over the speakers

"Blue team, all clear." Roher responded curtly as he adjusted the seatbelt and checked his ammo.

"Red team, ready to blow some shit up!" Austin shouted into the comm.

"Sergeant major Austin-that's not exactly proper comm. protocol, now is it?" Schmitzer said as his face appeared on the pilots' monitors, "Alright- advance on the airbase, you mission is a go!"

"Roger," Roher radioed as he signaled the other pilots to advance.

The mobile suits began to walk through an abandoned town near their landing point. They were halfway through when Austin's wingman's proximity alarm blared a warning.

"Sergeant, I'm detecting enemy nearby!"

"I've got 'em Heine! Red Team engaging enemy!"

With that, he targeted the enemy with a radar lock and fired his bazooka. The enemy they detected turned out to be a squad of Type 61 Main Battle Tanks, sent out to investigate their landing.

"It's a Zaku!" A Federal soldier screamed just before the bazooka round obliterated his tank.

"Radio HQ!"

"Too late!"

Heine charged in with his 105mm machine gun and shredded the remaining two tanks.

"Hey! Roher! You see anything; we just got some feddies over here!"

"Yeah, I just took out some tanks to. We better move fast, before they realize that we're here."

"Roger!"

"Commander, we've lost contact with the tanks we sent out!" A Federation officer at their HQ exclaimed, "You don't think, could it be..."

"No, I don't think the Zeon would invade. We still hold the Earth at least, those fighters wouldn't be nearly as effective down here, at least, I don't think so," the commander responded as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Send some tanks to the control tower and into the forest. Keep the rest here, just in case."

After subduing some automated turrets, the mobile suit teams entered a large forest between the city and the airfield. Despite the suit's 50 feet height, the trees provided good cover.

"Lou, head over to the control tower and take it out. We'll hold the line here for the assault on the command center."

"Roger."

The Zaku II team headed in the direction of the control tower. Just then, Austin came under fire from a Federation tank, losing part of his zaku's skirt armor in the process.

"Shit! Eat lead and die asshole!"

His team destroyed the tanks, but now it was obvious that they were in the area. The element of surprise had been lost.

"Damn, Lou, you better finish and get back here- the feddies know we're coming now!"

"On my way back, the control tower's destroyed."

The Captain emerged out of the forest, a power cable dangling from his suit's backpack, the casualty of a confrontation with Federal tanks. As they advanced on the command center, it became clear that something wasn't right.

"Hold!" Roher yelled as he held up a hand to signal the rest of the team, "Where's the command center, we should see it by now. Wait, thermal sensors are picking up a heat source! Weapons discharge! Take evasive action NOW!"

The Zeon soldiers activated their rocket thrusters and spilt apart as three large shells fell right where they had been standing and exploded. The shockwave and flame leveled a good amount of trees and a Zaku II as they retreated further back into the forest.

"What the hell was that? Command, talk to me!" Roher screamed as he tried to drag his wingman's legless suit along with him.

"Captain! That's a Big Tray land warship- I'm looking at a satellite image right now!" Schmitzer shouted into the radio as the Chivvay's CIC went crazy. Communication officers trying to warn the descending assault teams of the battleship's presence, commanders trying to halt any more launches and everyone trying to warn Col. Zabi aboard the first HLV to depart after the Fenrir.

"Major, I think we should retreat! They'll never survive out there! Let's re-assault the airfield when the rest of the attack teams land!" Hepner shouted to her commander, a look of panic on her face.

"No! Captain, you have to take that battleship out, and fast! It can shoot the HLV's out of the sky and Col. Zabi is aboard the first one!" Schmitzer responded.

"Is he insane! How can we destroy it when we can't get close to it?" Austin bellowed, slamming his hand on his console, "Lou, You better have some plan!"

"Okay, here's the plan," Roher said, regaining his composure, "All mobile suits will throw napalm grenades followed by smoke grenades. They' won't be able to tell which heat sources are grenades and which are mobile suits. We'll advance unseen in the smoke and blitz the warship. We'll hit it with machine guns. Matt, you take out the bride with the bazooka."

"Let's get one with it!"

They deployed the grenades and waited for them to take effect, then the pilots moved into action. They ran forward, rapidly firing their machine guns at the Big Tray. Austin ran right up next to the battleship, hit his boosters and fired one shell point blank into the center of the tri-level bridge. As it exploded, the levels of the bridge collapsed on each other.

"Cea…fir…we….surr..der!" the commander of the Big Tray groaned into the comm.

"All units we accept the enemy's _request_ to surrender. Cease-fire and secure the area for the assault force. Good job everyone!" Schmitzer ordered as he sank into a chair in the CIC.

"Are you okay, sir?" Charlotte asked him as he unbuttoned his collar and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I will be. That was more than I anticipated. At least they succeeded. If they hadn't… Well, at least we proved the advantage of a fast strike mobile suit unit today. I guess we should prepare for our descent to Earth."

"Yes, sir."

As he walked to the hangar to board his Komusai shuttle, Schmitzer breathed a sigh of great relief. He was sure for a moment, just a moment, that he had sent his men into an ambush that none would walk away from. Something he promised himself he would never do, again.

End of Chapter 1


	2. Breakthrough

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Following the Second Earth Descent Operation, the Midnight Fenrir sets up for operations on Earth._

**Chapter 2**

**Breakthrough**

**1200 Universal Century 0079 April 10**

It was one month since the Fenrir landed on Earth. The Eastern portion of North America had been captured rather early on, and the other landing operation around the world had also met with success. However, the Zeon's target in the west, California Base, proved a difficult nut to crack. Lt. Col. Jonathan Spencer was in charge of the battle to capture the 20 or so installations of California Base. His failure to do so in a timely manner was becoming an embarrassment to the Earth Assault Force and the Duchy itself.

1st Lieutenant Charlotte Hepner hurried down the corridor of the former governmental headquarters in New Yark. Col. Zabi had taken them over for his own use. The members of Fenrir had been summoned to an emergency meeting in his lordship's conference room-this could not be good. She had been negotiating, rather, fighting, with the supply corps for the three Zakus that were due to the unit before they landed. The supply corps had insisted they couldn't give them to, as they called it, "an experimental unit with no real frontline purpose." Now, she was late to the meeting. As she ran into the room, she found Col. Zabi beginning his briefing.

"Your Lordship, I'm so very sorry for being late! The supply corps, and idiots and the Zaku and…." She panted, out of breath and nervous beyond belief. This was _Garma Zabi_ after all, the heartthrob of Zeon. She didn't want to disappoint him.

"Charlotte, Charlotte, calm down! Take a breath and have a seat. You didn't miss anything. Don't worry about it." He replied with his characteristic smile as he brushed his hair out of his face.

"Listen, guys, I'm not my sister," Garma said as he readied a map display on the wall, "I'm a very easygoing commander- if you try your best to perform your duties, that's good enough for me. Now, on to the task at hand. As you may know, Lieutenant Colonel Spencer in California has been unable to break the Federation forces there. This stalemate has to end immediately. I cannot proceed with any plans for a search for and an invasion of Jaburo until I can assess what technology the Federation has in California that we may face and that we can use." Garma said as he switched the digital map to an aerial photo of the BajaPeninsula. "Now, here's the situation- the Federation has placed the HQ of their submarine fleet here," he said, indicating a location, "it is protected by a network of powerful gun turrets. They are ¾ the size of a Zaku, and they are capable of destroying pretty much any of our units in a single shot. The defensive network is situated so that we cannot advance on any one of their positions without being attacked by the others. What's worse is that the Feddies have deployed their fighter copters, which wreak havoc on our gravity bound mobile suits." The colonel paused for a moment before he continued.

"Spencer has lost almost all his mobile suit forces to these turrets and helicopters. I can't send any mobile suits from the other areas of California, but we must cut off the opportunity for the Federation commanders to retreat by submarine. I have decided to send your unit to destroy the gun turrets and secure the submarine dock and construction facilities. I will also accompany you in my own mobile suit, it is clear that that idiot Spencer cannot conduct this assault. Wheels up in 45 minutes!"

As the briefing finished and Garma left the room, the Fenrir pilots were all stunned by the news that Garma Zabi himself would conduct the operation with them. However, the full weight of what they were about to do did not become apparent to them until they were preparing to drop from the Gaw attack carriers into the battle zone raging below. This was their first _real_ combat operation as the Midnight Fenrir- the enemy was ready and waiting for them this time. The green light blinked in the hangar bay, and three Zaku I's and three more Zaku II's dropped into the battle zone. Also falling with them was a singe MS-06Fs custom Zaku II piloted by the youngest scion of the Zabi family. Only ten such units were ever made, and the machine was certainly something to be reckoned with, as a group of federation pilots soon found out. As Garma hit the ground, he found three fighter copters screaming their way towards him, guns spitting out the fire of their 60mm gunpods. His orange and green Zaku lifted its shield, a shoulder shield from a standard Zaku II fitted with a handle, to deflect the shots.

"Hahaha- you worthless pieces of Feddie crap!" Garma exclaimed with glee as he let rip with the four 40mm vulcans in his suit's head. The fighter copters fell in pieces to the ground.

"Fenrir team, head for those turrets!" he ordered as he moved toward the nearest battery. Across the battlefield, Austin's team was moving toward three turrets grouped together from their only unprotected side. His two wingmen put up a barrage of machine gun fire while he charged in close. While they made short work of any federation copters or tanks that got close to him, he smashed a hole in the top of each of the stone turrets with his heat hawk. As soldiers began to flee their installations, knowing their time had come, he shoved a large cracker grenade into each turret and boosted away as they detonated in a cloud of fire, dust, and debris. As all this was happening, Roher and Garma advanced under a smoke screen from their grenades and dismantled another battery set into a rock formation and a final battery was obliterated by the mega particle cannons aboard a Gaw.

"I'm seriously starting to wonder what's wrong with Spencer; e destroyed those gun turrets in all of twenty minutes!" Garma commented as the inept commander's troops finally moved out of their earthworks and trenches toward what had once been the Federal positions.

"That wasn't hard at-"

"My Lord, take cover!" One of Spencer's few remaining pilots shouted as he tackled the colonel's Zaku. A projectile whistled through the space that had just been occupied by Garma's cockpit and exploded against a nearby mesa. Their monoeyes swiveled towards the source of the round to see six Zaku II's painted in Federation blue and tan emerging from an underground hangar.

"Tanks get to cover now! Mobile suits- open fire on those bastards!" Garma shouted as he fired his machine gun from the ground, 120mm shells tearing into the lead Zaku.

As the first attacker fell, the second prepared to fire its bazooka at Col. Zabi and the other Zeon soldier. Before the Federal pilot could fire, Austin bull rushed him with his Zaku I's shoulder and hacked him apart with an over-sized heat hawk. As he began to take apart another of the captured mobile suits, the remaining three were pinned down by machine gun fire from Austin's wingmen and Roher's squad. Faced with such a response, the Federation pilots faltered and began to back down the ramp into the base. Their retreat was halted by a hail of 105 and 120mm shells. The captured Zakus fell, lifeless, back into their hangar.

"Charge! Into that hangar now!" Garma shouted as he got back on his feet. He led the way into the bowels of the Federation base.

California Base's underground facilities were built in ancient groundwater caverns. Guided only by radar that was only partially effective due to Minovsky Particles, the Zeon troops made their way towards the enemy's headquarters.

"All teams halt." Garma called after they were a ways into the passage, "Spencer says that his men above ground are heading toward the surface command center for this region- the enemy commanders are attempting to flee in their submarines. We need to capture their facilities before the dry-dock is flooded and the gates opened. I'm uploading a map from the ground penetrating radar to your suits now- each team take a route and secure the enemy positions as you go. We have only ten minutes until they open the gates."

The teams split up and headed into the darkness of California Base. Soon, Roher and Garma arrived at what appeared to be a mobile suit hangar."

"Attention! All teams- we have discovered their mobile suit hangar- it is empty. Be alert for mobile suits in the area- use challenge-response before opening fire." Roher said as they moved cautiously through the tunnels beyond the hangar.

After capturing the ammunition storage chamber, they saw a distinctive pink mooneye in the cavern ahead.

"Loum! Loum! Respond or we will shoot!" Roher called as he leveled his 120mm at the approaching mobile suits. He gripped his controls, preparing to pull the trigger when a response finally crackled through the radio.

"British! Jeez, Captain- you're a little jumpy!" Austin responded as his Zaku materialized out of the darkness. "Have you guys seen any of those captured suits down here?"

"No, nothing," Garma answered as he came up behind Roher, "Have you seen any soldier?"

"No, my lord. Only Type 61's and auto-turrets."

"I'll bet they're all around the command center, trying to protect the sub launch." Roher postulated.

As if to confirm his suspicion, the comm. came to life with screams from the Spencer troops' Zakus

"Reinforcements! Help! Under mobile suit attack! Ahhhhhhhh!"

"Shit, we better hurry!" Austin shouted as he began running down the passage he had come from. The others followed him to the opening into the largest cavern. They could see the other Zakus pinned at another entrance to the cavern, struggling to return fire from nine captured mobile suits.

Austin and his wingmen swung their bazookas out from the rear armor of their Zakus as Roher's squad, along with Garma, began to flank the opposing force. The first barrage of explosive shells knocked out two Zakus and damaged a third. As four of the remaining seven mobile suits turned to face the new threat, they were ambushed by the Zaku II squad firing their machine guns on full auto at their backs. As three more federation soldiers fell, Garma rushed in with his heat hawk drawn. He disabled the last of the machines that were firing at Austin and turned to face the last three. As he did so, the most alert of the three pilots whirled around using his boosters and fired a barrage of bullets that tore through the Fs type Zaku II's knee and leg power cable. Garma's suit sank to the ground, paralyzed as the federation pilot continued to chew his suit up with machine gun fire. His arm fell off before he could get it around to the machine gun on his back, and at least two shells imbedded themselves quite near to the cockpit. The shock of the impact caused the monitor on Garma's left side to explode, sending shrapnel into his left arm. Before the Zaku pilot could fire another barrage and end Garma's life, Roher leapt in front of the youngest Zabi's suit, firing his machine gun at the Federal Zaku. His aim was much better than the federation pilot's was and he hit the blue machine's cockpit dead center. Noticing their comrade's demise, the last two Federation pilots tried to turn in an attempt to repulse Roher's attack, but it was too late. One fell to a hail of 1200mm shells, and Roher impaled the other on the spike end of his heat hawk. As he finished removing the weapon from the remains of the cockpit, Austin sent several bazooka rounds into the command building the Zaku's had been protecting. The Federal offer of surrender quickly followed.

"Colonel Garma, are you okay?"

"Yes, Captain, I'm still here. Lieutenant Hepner, do you read me?"

"Yes, sir," the operator answered over the radio, "what is it."

"Tell Spencer that we have taken the sub dock an command center- their escape is cut off. We also need some MP's down here to handle the prisoners. And we need a medical team.

"Are there…are there casualties, sir?" She asked nervously

"Just my own mobile suit and some of Spencer's. I took some shrapnel in my left arm to. Nothing serious."

"Whew. Okay, I'll notify Spencer." Hepner answered before terminating the communication.

**End of Chapter 2**


	3. Midnight Fenrir

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Six months after the capture of California Base, the Midnight Fenrir participates in one very fateful mission._

**Chapter 3**

**Midnight Fenrir**

In the six months following the fall of California Base, the Fenrir had little to do beyond routine patrol. The Zeonic invasion of Earth had gone so well that the Federation never got the chance to organize themselves. For their service in the battle, Sgt. Maj. Austin and Capt. Roher were both awarded the Zeon Cross, Second Class. 2nd Lieutenant Nikki Roberto, the young officer who had saved Garma Zabi's life, also received this award. He was assigned to the Fenrir immediately following the battle. Upon interrogation of captured Federation prisoners, the Zeons uncovered the secret Federal project to develop their own mobile suits to rival those of Zeon. After five months of hunting, the EFSF mobile suits and their carrier were discovered by Lt. Cdr. Char Aznable, the Red Comet. He pursued the White One and the Trojan Horse through space and onto Earth. After defeating an attack by Garma's forces at the Great Canyon, the Federation ship headed for the S-3 point, Seattle, in order to escape Zeon territory.

_The white Zaku I floated through the carnage that had once been Side 5, thousands of lives had been lost already, and more than a million would die by the end of the day, that he knew for sure. However, the Zeon were winning. The new mobile suits easily outclassed the older Federal ships and fighters. He led his squad of twelve men, men he had trained, in an attack on a _Magellan-class_ battleship and two _Salamis-class cruisers_. This would be easy- or so he thought. As they sped toward the ships, a wave of bullets and missiles hit them from behind. An Ambush! Before they had time to respond, the Federation battleships set their sights and opened fire. He heard the screams of his men as they died. His mobile suit was buffeted by the shock of the nuclear explosions. The proximity alarm rang out beep beep beep. He whirled around. Then everything went white…_

"Gahh! Huh huh huh." Garret woke up in cold sweat, panting. Another nightmare. They had become all too common of an occurrence after that hellhole called Loum. As he fully woke up, he noticed his vidphone was beeping.

"Major Schmitzer." He said curtly as he answered.

"Sir, Lord Garma and Lieutenant Commander Aznable require your presence in his Lordship's office." Hepner said as her face appeared on the screen. Her face showed concern as she asked, "Sir, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, Charlotte, I am." He said as he collected himself and got out of bed, "I'll be there momentarily."

He terminated the connection and went over to his room's sink. He splashed some cold water on his face and pulled his uniform on. He shuffled down the hall towards Col. Zabi's office, he had had so many nightmares since the war began, and this one hardly bothered him anymore.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked as he entered the office.

"Yes, Garret. Come have a seat." The young man said, indicating an open chair.

As Schmitzer took his seat, Garma pulled a map of Seattle, Washington up on the screen on the wall.

"My intelligence division has located the Trojan Horse. They are hiding at the S-3 Point, Seattle." Garma said, Garret could tell that the young man was extremely excited by the prospect of bringing down the Trojan Horse. "I will be taking a squad of Gaw Attack Carriers to attack the ship. I will take the lead Gaw in to search for the Trojan Horse. The other two will patrol the North and South to prevent the Feddies escape and provide support if needed."

"No disrespect intended sir, but are you sure one Gaw can take down a battle carrier?"

"Our mobile suits will find the Trojan Horse before I attack. I will approach the Trojan Horse from behind and bomb the ship. Even if they survive the bombs from the Gaw, our Dopps and Zakus will be able to finish it off."

"Very well sir, I will inform my pilots. I assume we are in on the attack team?" Schmitzer asked as he rose from his chair.

"No, you are not. I don't plan to give them the opportunity to escape, but if the mobile suits break through, your unit must be ready to intercept."

"Yes, sir!" Garret said as he saluted and left the room.

Several hours later, the Fenrir dropped from their Gaw over a devastated suburb of Seattle. Austin had decided to take Hepner and Roberto out on the patrol as a training session in night operations. Roher was coordinating the "training" from the Gaw. In reality, he was waiting for any indication from the two Gaws under Zabi's command that they needed backup.

"I hope we find the Trojan Horse! If they evaded the Red Comet, those guys must be pretty tough!" Nikki exclaimed as he and his wingmen patrolled the eastern edge of the battle area.

"Cut the chatter!" Matt shouted over the comm. "We are not going to face them, if we find them, the Gaws take them out, it's that simple! Besides, facing some captured Zakus doesn't mean that you can face the White One!"

"I know, I'm just a kid." Nikki responded sarcastically.

"That's right, now zip it and get back to patrol!" Matt ordered.

"All of you, quiet!" Roher ordered from the Gaw as he pressed the receiver headset against his ear.

"I was waiting for you, Char." Garma's voice came over the radio.

"Garma! The Mobile Suit is running away, the Trojan Horse should be right up ahead, hurry!" Char said into the radio.

"Lord Garma, this is Captain Roher, should we come to back you up?" Roher asked, even as he signaled the Gaw's crew to change course.

"No, my two ships and fighters should be able to handle them. Be on alert in case the White One crosses into your sector."

"Understood sir. Did you hear that everybody? Prepare for a possible encounter with the White Mobile Suit. Use the bazookas, grenades, and Heat Hawks if you have to. Remember, the 120mm machine gun is no use against its armor."

"Here we go! Let's kick some Feddie ass!" Nikki shouted as he hefted the 280mm bazooka.

"Really? Lieutenant Roberto, you have the maturity of a 7th grader!" Hepner shouted, exasperated, at the less-experienced pilot's enthusiasm.

"Enough! Neither of you have any clue what you are talking about! Take cover behind a building and hope you get a shot at him before he sees you!" Matt bellowed into the radio as he checked and loaded his bazooka.

However, there would be no need for the Fenrir Corps to engage in any mobile suit on mobile suit combat that night.

On the bridge of the Gaw, Roher was uneasy. If all he had heard and studied about the Trojan Horse unit was true, it was unlikely that their main mobile suit would simply run away. He keyed the comm into Garma's channel, but no one picked up. Even worse, he could hear shouts and alarms on the other end.

"What is it, what's going on?" Shouted Garma's voice.

"There's enemy fire coming from behind!" That must have been the Gaw pilot.

"What?"

"It's the Trojan Horse, coming up behind us sir!"

"Ascend, ascend NOW!"

"I CAN'T!"

Roher's stomach dropped as a calm, cold voice came over the radio. It was Char.

"Hey Garma, consider this the misfortune of your birth."

"What are you talking about?" Garma said, shocked.

"You were indeed a very good friend to me. Don't take it personally, you can thank your father for this."

"CHAR! YOU DOUBLE CROSSED ME CHAR!" Garma screamed.

Over his connection, Roher heard Char's high, cold, maniacal laugh coming from the Garma's ship's speakers. It was all he heard over the damage alarms for a few seconds, and then:

"LONG LIVE DEGWIN ZABI! SIEG ZEON!"

And then, there was nothing.

"Matt, Nikki, Charlotte, we're coming down low. Get back in the Gaw, something's happened to Lord Garma's squadron." Roher said tersely as he opened another line back to headquarters, where Schmitzer was.

"Major, we have a situation."

"What's going on Lou?"

"I can't say over the radio, but get the medics ready and prepare a trauma center."

"I…I..Okay, it'll be done." Garret answered, uneasily.

There would be no need for a medic however. When the Fenrir Gaw reached the last known position of Garma's planes, all they found was wreckage. And bodies. The two Gaws were indistinguishable burning purple hunks. The many Dopp fighters that had escorted them were likewise. There were no survivors. Under Roher's order, the Fenrir Corps recovered the black boxes from Garma's Gaw and the few somewhat intact bodies. Among these was Col. Zabi, identified only by the ornate dress uniform he had worn that night. They loaded the casualties into the plane and took off, back to headquarters. Char was nowhere to be seen. The remains of his two wingmen were found not far from the crash site.

When the Gaw landed at the Zeon HQ, doctors ran up to the rear door with stretchers, expecting to treat the injured. Instead, they were met by Austin, Roher, Roberto, and a silently weeping Charlotte, as well as the Gaw pilot, co-pilot, and navigator carrying the body of Garma Zabi on a cot, covered in a Zeon flag. Garret heard the screams of despair and the curses as he rode to the landing site in a jeep.

As he jumped out, all he could think was, "Not again ,this can't be happening again." He was almost relieved to see his soldiers as they laid Garma on one of the medical stretchers. While the rest of the team and the Gaw's crew went to the officer's club to drink to Garma's memory, Schmitzer and Roher went to a conference room to listen to the black box recording.

After listening to the recording, the two were silent for a while. It was Roher who broke the silence.

"Garret? What do you think we should do about this?"

"I don't know Lou. Who heard what was said between Char and Garma besides you and the Gaw crew?" Schmitzer responded as he rested his forehead on his hand.

"I honestly don't know. Everything was going on so fast and I was trying to get our soldiers to reinforce theirs. I'm not sure who heard what when."

"Hm. That definitely complicates things." Schmitzer said as he leaned back in his chair. He knew what he had to do, and he was disgusted by it.

"What do you mean sir? The more people heard, the more witnesses there'll be at his court martial. You know that Lady Kycilia and Lord Gihren will want Garma avenged, and when Dozle hears that Char was responsible, Char will be lucky if he lives to see the inside of a courtroom."

" It may not be that simple. When I was at a conference during the stalemate, Kycilia talked about bringing Char into her forces; the two of them have an…interesting…history. She and Garma were certainly close, but if there's one thing she loves more than anything, even her brother, it's power. If the rumors are true, she's planning to try to usurp Gihren's claim to the throne when Duke Degwin dies, and she's planning on using Char to do it."

"What are you saying Garret?" Roher asked, enraged at what his commander seemed to be getting at.

"What I'm saying is that Kycilia would be more than willing to overlook Char's hand in her brother's death, at least temporarily, if she could benefit from doing so. If we go to her or even Dozle and accuse Char, there's no guarantee that Kycilia wouldn't try to have us silenced instead."

"Fine. But you're gonna be the one to tell Austin, not me. And another thing, if you think for a minute that I would hesitate to hold Char's actions over his head if it would benefit us, you're wrong."

"I wouldn't expect you to do that Lou. Just make sure Kycilia can't do anything about it, I wouldn't want to lose my XO to her secret police. I guess we better go talk to the others." Garret said as he pushed himself out of his chair.

When they arrived at the pub, they found the place almost deserted. The Gaw crew was sitting round a table. Nikki and Charlotte were sitting at the bar, several empty beers between them, talking. Austin was standing in the middle of the room, looking positively wild. He was still wearing his pilot suit, which was partially unzipped. At least five empty beer bottles littered the floor around him, and he was now taking swigs from a bottle of pure vodka. He was ranting very specifically about the gruesome tortures he would subject the crew of the Trojan Horse to when he got his hands on them.

"That White Devil, yeah, when I get to him, hoho, I'll shoot his balls off, then I'll slowly roast him over my heat hawk. See how much he likes that!" He screamed as he took another drink, looking quite deranged.

"This is going to be a long night. Bartender, give me a double bourbon and leave us. I need to discuss confidential matters with my men." Schmitzer said as he maneuvered himself on to a bar stool.

"A scotch on the rocks for me." Roher said.

As the bartender left, Schmitzer addressed Austin, "Had few, have we, Matt?"

" More than a few, sir. I'm just regaling the room with what I'm gonna give the crew of the Trojan Horse when I get 'em."

"Yeah, why don't you have a seat. Now, if anyone is not aware of the events that transpired this evening regarding Lieutenant Commander Char, I would ask that you please leave the room immediately."

The Gaw co-pilot and navigator got up and left the pub, and Austin managed to slump into a chair.

"Since you are all still here, you know about Char's betrayal. It is my decision, and my decision alone that we will not speak of what he did tonight ever again, that is an order. Am I understood?"

Charlotte and Nikki nodded solemnly in acknowledgement, the Gaw pilot grunted. Austin, however, was not going to just accept his commander's order.

"What the hell major? I say we take that little SOB and drag him behind a Magella for a few kilometers, and then let Dozle take care of him! Why are we just going to let him get away?"

"Sergeant major, there are things going on behind the scenes that you are not aware of. It is in the best interest of this unit that we keep our silence, unless Lord Gihren himself should question us. Only then may you speak of tonight's event. Otherwise, it is the official report of Captain Roher and myself that Colonel Zabi was caught in a surprise attack and we were unable to get to him in time. Char fled the battlefield when it was obvious he could not hold out against the White One."

"Ah, screw you! You and Char can go fu-" Austin passed out before he finished his sentence, hitting the table, knocking it over, and falling to the floor with a thud.

"Roher, Roberto, take the Sergeant Major to his quarters. When he wakes up, make sure he remembers my order."

As the two men hoisted their comrade and carried him off to bed, Charlotte and the Gaw pilot also left the room. Schmitzer stayed behind after they left, sipping his drink, lost in thought.

**End of Chapter 3**

/ Sorry It keeps taking me so long to update this, the first semester of college seems to be getting to me. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews I've gotten. My AOL account doesn't let me respond, but I want to thank everybody that has taken the time to read and review this story or favorite it. I'd like to respond to some specific questions I received though.  
>Dr eXtra20- I will follow canon to an extent. Since not much is known as far as which unit members survive, there might be some deaths over the course of the story. I will also change the ending. The Fenrir will go into space, rather than fight on the African Front, I feel like this would make a more epic ending than the ending in the game, which was limited by the lack of a Zero-G engine.<p>

DRBad39- I'm going to try to keep politics out of this. They're will be some exceptions (as in this chapter), but they will serve as plot devices. I'm not going to get into the ideology of the War or something like that. I'm trying to write this in the same vein as the 08th MS Team, told from the viewpoint of the common soldier.


	4. Desert Fenrir

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Following the death of Garma Zabi, the Fenrir team is reassigned and encounters the new EF MS for the first time._

**Chapter 4**

**Desert Fenrir**

**October 10 UC 0079**

Following the death of Garma Zabi on October 4th, the Midnight Fenrir was assigned as the honor guard that escorted his body back to Side 3 for his state funeral and burial. The newly promoted Col. Spencer assured them that was because of their fame with the Zeon people (as they had become quite the press heroes due to their actions at California Base), but they all knew it was because their unit was now tainted with the dubious honor of being Lord Garma's reinforcements the night he had died. They were present at the Deikun Amphitheatre when Gihren Zabi gave his now infamous "Sieg Zeon!" Speech. Afterwards, they were reassigned to the Odessa region to guard against a rumored massive Federation offensive.

Before they boarded the ships that would return them to Earth, Maj. Schmitzer and Capt. Roher were called to meet with Vice Admiral Dolze Zabi at his office.

Schmitzer stepped up to the door and knocked, "Remember our plan Captain."

"Just see that you do the same, sir." Roher responded as Dozle's voice came through the door, permitting them entry.

The massive Vice Admiral was seated behind his large desk; he directed the two officers to take a seat in the two chairs facing him.

"Good evening gentlemen. I want to thank you for the dedication your unit showed in the service of my brother. Whatever may be said, I know that you did everything in your power to assist him the night he was killed. You two, my brother, and myself; we are all soldiers; we know that anytime we venture out onto the battlefield there is a possibility that we won't be returning alive. We have accepted that. However, it is my belief that there was more at play the night my brother was killed than a simple combat mission. Upon review of the after action reports and the photographs of the battle site, I believe there was foul play. Whether this was simple negligence or outright treason remains to be seen."

Schmitzer shot a worried look at Roher. If Dozle had guessed the secret they held, that they had covered up, they might not leave Side 3 alive.

Roher answered the Vice Admiral quickly, "What do you mean, sir? There is not much that we could tell you, honestly."

"Well Captain, this is what I know: There was no black box found in the wreckage of my brother's Gaw, despite the fact its compartment was relatively undamaged. I also know that Char disappeared from the field, only to turn up several days later claiming that he could not stand alone against the Trojan Horse and fled. I also know my brother, Captain, and I know that he would not have flown right over a place where the enemy could be hiding and so leave himself open to an ambush. To be blunt, I am suggesting that Char betrayed my brother. I have only dismissed him from the Zeon forces, but I will not rest until he is brought to justice if he is guilty."

"Sir, I honestly know nothing of any events regarding Lieutenant Commander Char. On the night of the battle, I heard Lord Garma's distress call. He left the channel open and I heard the alarms as his plane came under attack. I did not hear any communication between him and the Lieutenant Commander. As for the black box, I ordered it removed as soon as the wreckage was brought to our base camp. To my knowledge, it was on the HLV that brought us and Lord Garma back to Side 3." Roher explained. Schmitzer nodded in agreement when he was finished.

"So you both say you have no knowledge of any betrayal or cover up?" Dozle asked, menacingly.

"No, sir. " Roher and Schmitzer answered in unison.

"Well, I take the soldiers of Zeon at their word. However, there is one more thing I want to discuss with you. My father is aging. Leading our nation through these troubling times has taken a toll on his health, as have the death of my mother and the assassination of my elder brother Cicero. I fear Garma's death will send him on a downward spiral he may not recover from. I doubt he will live to see the end of this war. When he dies, his will declare a successor to his throne. My father has told me that he does not wish Gihren to inherit his throne; he fears that the maniac will derail Zeon in his insanity. I do not want the office and I believe he will leave it to Kycillia. If, as my sources indicate, she recruits Char and my investigation proves he is a traitor, I cannot support her claim to the throne. I will not abide a traitor and assassin as the crown prince of Zeon!" Dozle slammed his hand down on his desk in anger.

"I will not, however, go against the wishes of my father and support Gihren. I will launch my own campaign for the throne. My secret police indicate that public support will be with my brother. However, I will have the support of most of the military. That leaves Kycillia and her secret weapons as my only challenge. I am telling you this because I know that you, as Zeon's premier mobile suit unit, will have the wisdom to choose the right side in the upcoming conflict. I do not need an answer now, nor do I expect one any time soon. However, I will ask again when the time comes. You are dismissed."

"Sir!" Roher and Schmitzer saluted before exiting the office.

"The Vice Admiral certainly wasn't subtle about his opinions." Schmitzer noted as he and Roher made their way to the dock to board their transport for Earth.

"Honestly, I think it won't amount to much. There is no real proof to be found whether or not Char was involved in the ambush," he lowered his voice and continued, "The only record that exists is in a pocket in my pilot suit. He can search all he wants, he'll never find anything. I made sure of that."

"Good. I have no doubt there will be a civil war when Degwin dies. Sometimes I think he's the only thing keeping those three from killing each other."

"Who are we going to support?"

"Assuming we're not dead by then, I will go with Lady Kycillia. She keeps everything pretty quiet, but she's the most ruthless of the three. I wouldn't be surprised if Gihren and Dozle meet with 'accidents' or were assassinated by 'Federation agents' before they could challenge her. As for Char, we will still have leverage because Kycillia would be all too happy to use him as a scapegoat and execute him after she had seized power. But we shouldn't be talking like this, there's no telling who might be around." Schmitzer finished as he looked nervously over his shoulder.

"I guess you're right. Where are we heading again?"

"Odessa."

**Several hours later onboard the transport**

"What the hell do you mean we're not going to Odessa?"

"Sergeant Major Austin, do you feel the need to question everything I tell you?" Schmitzer asked, annoyed at his senior NCO.

"Yup." Austin answered as he reclined nonchalantly on his chairs back legs.

"Thank you, I'm so glad we got that cleared up." Maj. Schmitzer said sarcastically as he turned on the briefing screen, "We've been temporarily diverted from our posting at Odessa Mining base to aid in the defense of a supply base in the Gobi Desert."

The screen showed a map highlighting the 6300 km distance between Odessa and the Gobi.

"As you can see, the supply base isn't at all close to Odessa. However, it is vital to Colonel M'Quve's defensive plan. The Federation forces massing to invade Odessa will come from the west and the north. This leaves the Mediterranean and the overland route into Asia as our only retreat routes if Odessa should fall. The Gobi Desert was the sight of a recent-and by recent I mean two days ago- attack by the Federation. The majority of our MS forces were wiped out. Central Asian HQ is scrambling to reinforce the line and secure the retreat from Odessa if necessary. In the meantime, we have been ordered in. This supply base is one of only 3 in the area. If it falls, our forces will be at a severe disadvantage when they try to retake the area. Our orders are to secure the motor pool, power station, and ammunition storage in conjunction with the base's remaining Magella Attack units."

"What force are we going in, sir?" Lieutenant Hepner asked.

"All of you. Captain Roher will secure the ammunition storage, Austin has the power station, and you have the motor pool. 2nd Lieutenant Roberto will act as a forward observer for your air support. Another pilot in the area, a-umm let me see, ah, yes- Staff Sergeant Lee Swaggard of the 128th Mobile Suit Battalion. He is currently in transit on a Gaw to the area. He will recon the area prior to your arrival. Any other questions? "Austin raised a hand, "I feel I will regret this, what is it Sergeant Major?"

"Do we know the enemy strength, Major?"

"No. We know there are at least two or three tank and combat vehicle battalions. We do know a smaller version of the Big Tray was operating in the area two days ago. There were rumors of Federation Mobile suit activity as well."

This last remark drew a collective gasp from the pilots. Roher hissed and Austin swore loudly.

Schmitzer held up a hand for calm, "We do not think the mobile suits would be used to attack a small supply base. Nevertheless, be careful. That is all."

The pilots boarded the HLV's that would take them into the atmosphere. These two vehicles were part of the collection that had been modified for the Earth Descent Operation to be controlled remotely. The crew of the Musais in orbit would guide them to Sgt. Swaggard's last reported position. They would abandon the HLV's in the desert and proceed to the supply base.

Swaggard guided them to an area near the base's command center. Austin could see a MS-05A old model Zaku I and 9 Magella Attack tanks waiting for them. Austin himself had switched his squad over to the new MS-05B ground combat model. He loaded his new shotgun and prepared to disembark.

"Sergeant Lee Swaggard reporting! The base facilities are to the north. I have only seen tanks and vehicles on my sensors and the enemy does not appear to have fortified their positions yet." The new pilot said as soon as the Fenrir had disembarked.

"Good work sergeant. Go with Lieutenant Hepner and secure the motor pool. Nikki, head north and set up your sensors. Get air support to harass any enemy reinforcements. Magella unit, send three tanks with each of the mobile suit attack teams. Move out!" Roher gave his orders.

Roher quickly secured the ammunition, quickly wiping out the tanks with his machine gun. Hepner and Swaggard did much the same.

"Motor Pool secured."

"Ammunition storage secured as well. How's it going Matt?"

"Power station's been secured for a while now. Damn, this shotgun really rips through those Feddie tanks!"

"Power station back online, base personnel will begin recovery operations." announced the Fenrir operator, a young woman named Victoria Kergerenko.

"Okay everyone. Good work on securing the base, Lieutenant Roberto, have your sensors picked up anything?"

"Yes, major. There's a Luggun in the area coming in to identify some large heat signatures I picked up behind a large rock formation."

"This is Nurflügel, 325th Air Reconnaissance Wing. We're above the area now." The Luggun pilot reported as he entered the area.

"Pilot, this is 2nd Lieutenant Roberto, Midnight Fenrir. Do you see what's giving off those large heat signatures?"

"I see a large number of vehicles. And, what's this? It's some sort of large vehicle. It looks like a backwards Gallop without the jet engines. I see several cannons on it." The Luggun's surveillance officer said.

"That must be the command vehicle." Schmitzer said as he looked over the images the Luggun crew had sent over. "Roberto, call in the Dopp group. Have them do a run over the area before you all move in with the mobile suits."

"Yes, sir! Dopp wing, this is Lieutenant Roberto requesting air support at grid square Bravo 3."

"Roger lieutenant. We're coming in hot. ETA 2 minutes."

"Lieutenant, this is Master Sergeant Jane Kelso in the Luggun, We're seeing 3 mobile suits heading towards you. 3 of their mid-range artillery models."

"That's not good. Recommend we take care of this command vehicle fast before we're caught between its guns and escorts and those MS." Swaggard said.

"Roger. All units take cover behind the mesas. We move in as soon as the air support makes its run." Roher ordered as he maneuvered his Zaku behind one of the numerous rock formations in the area.

"Dopp squadron on final approach. Missiles armed. Fire!"

The 6 Dopp fighters fired their payload of missiles at the assembled Federation tanks and the command vehicle. Meanwhile, the three heat signatures of the Federation Mobile Suits continued to advance towards the Fenrir from the East. The Fenrir mobile suits quickly dismantled the command vehicle and the few tanks that still dared to put up a fight.

"Swaggard, stay with the remaining Federal troops until our ground forces can collect them. The rest of you, let's go get these new mobile suits. Hepner, go right. Roberto, your team will take the left. Matt and I have the center."

"Alright Guncannon team, let's destroy the Zeon bastards!" Shouted the leader of the Federation team.

The Guncannons fired a barrage from their 240mm cannons. The shells took out one of Roher's wingmen and tore the shield and left arm off the captain's Zaku. as the Zeon mobile suits scrambled for cover, Austin's two wingmen also fell to the cannons. Hepner and Roberto's teams kept up a steady barrage from the right and left of the Federation MS, but the 120mm rounds seemingly bounced off the red mobile suits.

"Kierzinsky, stay here and cover us! Matt, follow me!" Roher yelled to his remaining wingman.

Roher and Austin ran out from behind the mesa under cover from their comrades and ran at full speed toward the Guncannons firing their weapons. Roher hit his boosters and tackled the left Guncannon. He took a cracker grenade off his skirt armor and rammed it into one of the Federal MS's radiator vents. Austin did the same and took down the right Guncannon. He loaded an incendiary round into his shotgun and fired it point blank into the cockpit. They had attacked the wingmen so that the leader now had his back to them. As he and Roher were recovering from their attacks, the leader turned around to face them. Roberto and Hepner's teams fired their machine guns incessantly, but the rounds could not even dent the rear armor of the remaining suit. As he prepared to destroy Roher's suit, his main camera was shattered by a hail of bullets. The mobile suit's head exploded and the suit fell to the desert floor, lifeless. Swaggard stepped forward from behind another mesa. He had circled around behind the rock formations.

"Shit. I hope we don't run into any more of those any time soon." Roher said, exhausted, as he took off his helmet and wiped the sweat off his face, "Get these remains to HQ for analysis."

The Fenrir stayed at the base for several weeks until transport to Odessa could be arranged for them. When the Zeon salvage team arrived to collect the remains of the Guncannons, the cockpit of the leader's suit was open and he was nowhere to be found.

/Sorry it took me so long to update, but I've had a lot going on. I hope to have the rest of the Odessa chapters up soon. Thanks for reading!


	5. Trojan Horse

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Weeks after their engagement in the Gobi, the Fenrir is relieved and had finally reached their original posting at Odessa. It is here that they will meet an old enemy once again. _

**Chapter 5**

**Trojan Horse**

**November 7****th**** UC 0079, 1000 hours**

**Odessa, former Ukraine**

"Good morning Major Schmitzer, I am Lieutenant Uragan, Chief of Staff to Colonel M'Quve." The young officer introduced himself as Garret limped into the map room of HQ and sat down. He seemed stuffy and uptight, not unlike his commander. "Before I brief you on the details of your assignment, I have some bad news to report. Two days ago, Zeon Space Attack Force Lieutenant Ramba Ral was killed in action against the Trojan Horse. I'm sorry sir; I've heard he was a close friend of yours."

"Yes he was, we were at the academy together." Schmitzer responded. He was filled with sadness over the loss of his friend. They had been friends and classmates, it was true, but they had been more than that. They were roommates at the academy, they had trained together, and they had looked out for each other. It was Ral who had saved Garret at the Battle of Loum. When his squad had been decimated by Federation fighters, it was Ral who had flown into the melee and dragged his disabled Zaku to the rear. They had separated after the battle. Ral was placed under Dozle's command and he had been assigned to Kycilia. He hadn't even known his friend was on Earth. Uragan was talking again, so Schmitzer focused back in on what was being said.

"-the new MS-09 Dom mobile suits. Your unit will cooperate with the Tri-Stars to ambush the Trojan Horse tonight in a forest near the Black Sea. We cannot send your whole unit, since the Federation has already begun their large scale advance towards us. We can only afford to send 3 teams on this mission. Your mission is twofold, you will gather combat data on the enemy ship and mobile suits, as well as engage the Supply Corps. Leave the mobile suits to the Tri-Stars. You will leave here at 2200 and reach the operation area at approximately 2400 if you move at full speed. In addition, it appears that the red mobile suits you encountered in your last engagement were of the same type as the RX-77 Guncannon aboard the Trojan Horse. The leader, who disappeared after the engagement, was a captain by the name of Agar, according to the markings on the suit. That is all."

Schmitzer decided to send Hepner, Roberto, and Swaggard on the mission. Roher and Austin would protest, say that they should be the ones to go, that they were the most experienced. They would be right, but he couldn't afford to lose them. As much as he hated to send his soldiers to almost certain death, he had been given his orders. And Agar, that name was all too familiar to him. He had learned that he was the one who had wounded Schmitzer at Loum.

"Listen, you three, I don't want to send you on this mission, but M'Quve insists that our unit be the one to assist the Tri-Stars. I'm giving you this order: engage the Medea or their escorts only if the opportunity presents itself. If it goes bad or you are engaged by the mobile suits, retreat. I will deal with M'Quve. Charlotte, I'm placing you in command."

"Yes, Sir!" She said.

They immediately began to prepare for their attack later that night. Roberto and Swaggard both loaded down their mobile suits with extra ammo and grenades. Roberto decided to take the extremely powerful 175mm Magella Attack cannon, which had been rigged into a handheld weapon, on this sortie. Hepner added a grenade launcher underneath her 120mm machine gun. They set out 20 minutes after the Tri-Stars, as had been agreed. They approached from the south while the famed Zeon aces approached from the west. As they reached the operation area, it was obvious the Doms had been detected.

"Everyone take cover behind that hill!" Hepner ordered as high explosive shells rained down on their position.

"HQ, it seems the Doms have been detected and the enemy has commenced long range artillery fire. Nikki, set up to take down any fleeing planes. Lee, you guys are with me, let's try to get a better look at what's going on."

As they approached the combat area, they could see the flames from the Dom's hoverjets and boosters weaving around the trees on a quick approach to the enemy position. The Trojan Horse seemed to be hidden behind a hill; Charlotte could see several Medea craft nearby. The Federation was trying to hit the Tri-Stars with long range artillery fire, but they were failing miserably.

"Wow lieutenant, look at those Doms go. It's like nothing can hit them." Swaggard remarked.

A Medea took off and attempted to mark the Doms' path with flares, but it was quickly taken down by Roberto's squad. It was then that Hepner noticed a jet trail coming from the Trojan Horse's position.

"Large enemy plane deployed from Trojan Horse! Captain Gaia, it's headed your way!"

"Ah! I see 'er lieutenant! That there varmint ain't about to get me!"

The fighter zoomed towards Gaia and fired two beam cannons at him, but he floated out of the way.

"HQ, this is Swaggard, I'm sending you combat footage of a large fighter deployed from the Trojan Horse. It appears to be armed with both beam cannons and missiles."

"Wait a second Lee, it looks like it's doing something. What the hell is that? It transformed into a mobile suit! Wait, no, it carried the mobile suit inside the fuselage! I repeat, the White One can now be carried inside a large fighter!"

"Lieutenant, the fighter's heading for us! Oh Shit!"

The fighter charged towards the two teams of mobile suits. Swaggard lost his legs to the fighter's beam cannons.

"Swaggard's down! What? I'm hit! Nikki, get us out of here!" Hepner's mobile suit collapsed as two missiles tore into her right leg and exploded. Both of Swaggard's wingmen were killed by the beam cannons as the fighter passed over again. With Hepner's squad mates providing covering fire, Nikki and one of his wingmen dragged Hepner and Swaggard to the safety of the hill.

"Are either of you hurt?" Nikki asked as he hefted his cannon once again.

"No, I'm fine Nikki, thank you."

"I'm unhurt, sir"

"Cacciatore, any sign of that fighter?"

"No Lieutenant, wait, I'm picking something up on the radio. I'll patch it through."

"Ortega, Mash, let's do the Jetstream Attack one more time on that mobile suit."

"Let's Go!"

"Gahhhh! I ain't no gone darn springboard!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Mash!"

"We almost had that damn mobile suit! How did he evade the Jetstream Attack?"

"Fenrir, this is Schmitzer. Withdraw immediately!"

The downed pilots quickly boarded the suits of their comrades and the remaining five suits retreated under cover of darkness. They had been on station for only an hour.

The Tri-Stars returned to base in only an hour due to their fast mobile suits. They were just rearming and preparing to redeploy at 0530 when the Fenrir team finally returned to base. As they were helped down from their mobile suits, they learned that the remaining two aces were being redeployed to fight the Trojan Horse again so it couldn't attack from the rear of the defense line. The rest of their team was en route to the center defense line to fight the rapidly advancing Federation.

**End of Chapter 5**

/Well that's it for this chapter. I re-wrote it as I felt the original level in the game was far too unrealistic and was a bit of an outlier compared to the realistic, strategically oriented missions in the rest of the game. Chapter 6 to come soon.


	6. Defend Odessa

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_The day after members of their unit engaged the Trojan Horse, the rest of the Fenrir team must defend Odessa from the advancing Federation. _

**Chapter 6**

**Defend Odessa**

**November 9th UC 0079, 0600**

**Zeon field command center**

**Odessa, former Ukraine**

Major Garret Schmtizer stood underneath the canopy of the field command center, directing the troops as they arrived to reinforce the final defense line. This was the center of Zeon's defensive formation. Behind Schmitzer's position was the command HQ and the Dobday land battleship commanded by Col. M'Quve. Two days of intense fighting had penetrated all but this final position, stationed at one end of a plain which two large hills had divided into two shallow canyons. For the first time since descending to Earth, Schmitzer was on the front lines. He wore his old pilot suit, complete with a brand new prosthetic where his lower left leg once was. He wore body armor over his chest and his head was protected by a standard ground force helmet rather than the space helmet that went with his suit.

"Move that Dobday into position, engage outriggers and prepare to begin long range artillery fire! Magella Attack units, get into position between those metal obstacles in front of the Dobday! Get the trailers with my mobile suits into position! Fenrir team, get over here for your briefing!" The Major shouted his order rapid fire into a microphone. "Come on people! I'd prefer not to get caught with my pants down when the Feddies move on us!"

The Zeon defensive effort was beginning to collapse, that was obvious to Schmitzer at this point. The Federation offensive began on the 7th, and they had quickly smashed through the Zeon lines. The center was besieged by Revil's main army. General Elron, who had been bought by M'Quve, had either been discovered or had double crossed them, as the western force under his command was also steadily advancing. Only the eastern front was safe, as the Fenrir operation in the Gobi had slowed the Federal forces down to the point that they could not reach Europe in time. And then there was the Trojan Horse to contend with. The Tri-Stars had taken off in search of it the previous day and had plotted its course. They had just set off from HQ several hours ago with a squadron of Dopps to attempt, perhaps in vain, to halt its advance on the rear of the Zeon lines.

"Good morning everyone! I would like to start by introducing the newest members of our team: First Lieutenant Felix Renchef and Sergeant First Class Arthur Manning. They are the only surviving mobile suit teams from the Gobi unit." He indicated a large, heavyset officer with long black hair tied into a pony tail and a shorter, sour looking NCO standing to his left. Schmtizer then gestured to a map on the table in front of him, "Here's the plan for today. We have been assigned to defend against the main Federal force, in other words, Revil's own unit. We have two main objectives: hold the defense line consisting of this Dobday and other vehicles, and engage the advance forces of the enemy that are getting into position at the end of this shallow canyon ahead of us. Our recon shows a new land battleship type leading their vanguard. It's similar to Big Tray, but all 3 cannons face forward and it is equipped with a better AA/Anti-MS system. Our intelligence indicates it's called the "Big Fork" class. Captain Roher has devised a plan to take it out, captain."

"Thank you, sir. As Major Schmitzer said, we are facing down nine barrels worth of artillery here and it will be hard to get in close. I propose this plan: we have four teams. Two go through the canyon straight ahead and two go through the one to the left. Manning, you're a sniper, right?"

"Yes captain." The sour looking man responded.

"Excellent. You and Matt will advance through the center canyon. Renchef and I will take the left one. We will throw smoke grenades in front of the Big Fork. At the same time, our air forces will make a bombing run on the battleship. Manning, you and Austin will take out any vehicles in front of Big Fork. With those gone, the main cannons blinded by the smoke, and the AA taken up with the Dopps, Renchef and I should have an easy run at the bridge." He quickly sketched out the plan on the map with a marker. "To complicate things, the federation has placed the new Guntank long range artillery mobile suits here and here," he indicated the two positions, "We will need to take those out first. Manning, take the one overlooking the center canyon from long range. I will advance with you until we reach this point, were I can travel over the hill and take out the second one. I will then wait on the other side for Renchef to catch up."

After they were all good on the plan, they headed to their mobile suits. Roher climbed aboard his new MS-06JC ground combat type Zaku II. The cockpit was much roomier than his F type Zaku and featured 3 monitors for greater visibility. The main console was also more low profile and the control yoke was replaced with two side sticks. He checked the ammo on his 120mm gun and confirmed that his wingmen were ready as well. Austin radioed that he was good in his MS-05B. Renchef piloted the new MS-07A Gouf. Similar to the unit Ramba Ral had reportedly used against the White One, the A type lacked any fixed weaponry. Instead, Renchef carried a shotgun similar to the one Austin usually carried and had a bazooka mounted on the rear armor. Manning's unit was the last to confirm they were ready to go. His unit, as an elite sniper team, used the limited issue MS-05Fs, the same type of Zaku II piloted by the late Garma Zabi. Manning carried a 120mm Assault Rifle, which had a much greater range than the standard machine gun, but a lower ammo capacity. Unlike a human sized assault rifle, this weapon fired in semi-automatic fashion, which made it perfect for sniping.

Manning moved ahead of Roher and Austin's squads in order to get a shot at the artillery suit. He picked it up on his screens and manually placed the targeting reticle over the gunner's cockpit.

"That's one confirmed down."

The nine mobile suits then advanced forward, taking out several squads of tanks and many missile vehicles on the way. Midway through the canyon, Manning's mobile suits took cover behind a downed Fat Uncle transport. From this position, they could begin thinning the enemy forces at the end of the canyon from long range. Austin's squad moved to cover them. Roher's unit began advancing forward to take out the second Guntank.

Back at the Dobday, Renchef was getting impatient. He adjusted his seatbelt and ordered his men to move out. He figured he might be able to attack the mobile suit from below.

"Hey, Lowe, I'm picking up three heat signatures on radar."

"I've got them. Looks like those new Zaku types, the ones missing the shoulder shields." The Guntank gunner confirmed, referring to Renchef's squad, "180mm cannons loaded. Sayonara sucker! What the hell?!"

A monoeye flashed pink in front of the gunner as Roher got the drop on the unit. A stab from the pointed shaft of the heat hawk took care of the gunner, while 120mm shells from Roher's wingman wrecked the turbine engines.

"These new sensor jammers work rather well. Renchef, I thought I told you to wait until I took care of this artillery."

"Yeah, well, I was gettin' bored."

Roher's Zakus descended from the top of the hill and began to advance with Renchef to the end of the canyon. On the other side, Austin and Manning did the same. While the mobile suits took cover behind the hills just enough so that the Big Fork couldn't see them, Roher radioed for air support.

"45th Dodai YS group here, we're incoming!" radioed the air force commander. "We've got the coordinates, throw your smoke now!"

"You heard the man everyone, get that smoke out there!" Roher ordered.

The Fenrir pilots deployed smoke grenades in the direction of the Big Fork. After the smoke cover was established, they moved into it and waited for the aerial bombardment to begin.

"General O'Brian, the gunners are reporting trouble getting the infrared scopes online, and sensors are picking up air forces incoming!" The XO of the Big Fork reported.

"Tell the gunners to alternate the heavy caliber machine gun ammo with 40mm flak shells. Order the main cannons to fire in the direction of the Zeon lines!"

The gunners did as their general ordered, but it was in vain. The lack of infrared sensors, coupled with poor radar direction due to Minovsky Particles, made it almost impossible to aim properly. The main guns' shells landed harmlessly between the Zeon MS and the Dobday defense line. The AA gunners fired wildly in every direction, unable to score any significant hits on the approaching planes. With the guns thus occupied, the Zeons moved into action. Manning, using his thermal scope, began destroying vehicles in front of the Big Fork. Austin began firing toward the battleship using time release shells that detonated over the AA guns, annihilating their crews.

Roher and Renchef then made their move. Roher, also using a thermal scope, machine gunned the few turrets defending the bridge tower. Renchef ran up to the base of the ship and unslung his bazooka. Hitting his jump jets, he discharged 3 shells into the tower. The rest of the ship soon fell silent as the crew realized the death of the commander and surrendered. The Zeons finished off the few remaining vehicles and a demo team moved in to destroy the Big Fork so the Dobday could move forward.

"Good work everyone. Hold your positions until the Dobday can move up." Schmitzer said as he finally allowed himself to breathe. He had held his position at Odessa, a feat not many other commanders would be able to claim.

"Sir, Lt. Uragan is on the line for you." The operator informed him.

"This is Lieutenant Uragan. The Fenrir unit is to be redeployed to K-7 point."

"But Lieutenant, if we abandon this area, the enemy will retake it; we will have lost what we just gained!" Schmitzer shouted angrily at the viewscreen.

"It doesn't matter. These orders come specifically from Colonel M'Quve. General Elron, our spy in the Federation, has either betrayed us or been caught. We need your unit to halt the advance of his forces."

"Fine. Everyone, prepare to move to K-7 point."

**End of Chapter 6**

/ Thanks everyone for being patient with me. I've been working on some other projects, so I haven't been able to devote as much time to this as I would like. Hopefully I can get back to this over the holidays.


	7. Dobday Rescue

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Odessa has fallen. The Fenrir Team must retreat, but first they must aid their allies. _

**Chapter 7**

**Dobday Rescue**

**November 10th UC 0079, 1900**

**Zeon field command center**

**Odessa, former Ukraine**

Less than 12 hours after the Fenrir Team had been redeployed to K-7 Point, the Federation Army overran the Dobday's position. By nightfall on the 10th, the Zeon forces were in full retreat. Col. M'Quve had launched a nuclear warhead in the late afternoon to stall the Federation long enough for him to escape on his _Zanzibar_-class cruiser. The Gundam had destroyed the warhead before it could detonate. The Black Tri-Stars had also died at the hands of the White Devil. Gen. Yuri Kellarny, the commander of a number of forces in Eastern Europe, issued the order for all units operating in Odessa to retreat on their own; no reinforcements would be sent.

At the Fenrir command post, the staff were busy preparing to retreat. All necessary equipment and personnel were being loaded onto trucks, tanks, and other vehicles. All nonessential equipment was sabotaged. Just as they were preparing to shut down the communication system, a message came in: "Attention all Zeon forces, this is the Dobday land battleship. We have taken severe damage and lost most of our mobile suits. We are surrounded, please reinforce us!"

Schimtzer immediately called the pilots together, "Everyone, although we have been ordered to retreat, there is one more thing that needs to be done. The Dobday has taken severe damage and is immobile. I would guess that its caterpillar tread is damaged. They have lost most of their escort and are surrounded. We will reinforce them and open up a retreat route. Renchef, Roberto, Austin: you three will aid the Dobday team. The rest of us will retreat. After you are done, rendezvous with the Jukon submarines here," he said indicating a location on the map. "The rest of us will meet you here," he indicated another location, "since we can only take a few suits on the submarine, it is my decision that Renchef, Austin, and Manning will keep their suits. The rest of you will receive new suits when we reach California. One more thing, the radio will need to be shut down soon. Therefore, we will be out of communication until we reach the withdrawal point. That is all."

The nine pilots immediately moved out in search of the Dobday. It had moved to the end of the shallow canyons the Fenrir had moved through just the day before. The three teams moved in from the rear. The Dobday was facing a full frontal attack by both mobile suits and vehicles. A Guncannon type suit appeared to be leading the assault. Austin and Roberto took aim with their 280mm Bazookas and began firing at the massed Federal forces. Renchef stowed his own shotgun on his suit's waist armor and drew the heat saber from inside his shield. His team charged the federal lines. As Roberto and Austin picked off mobiles suits and vehicles near the Dobday, Renchef assaulted the rear. He grabbed the Guncannon and forced his saber through the rear of the suit. He and his wingmen began carving their way through the Federal forces. After they had taken care of the frontal assault, Austin took stock of the situation.

"Okay. Dobday team consists of 2 Zaku I's. Guns and treads are inoperable. I'm reading heat signatures straight ahead and on our right and left. Renchef, you take the units behind the Dobday. I will take those on the left. After we are done, Roberto, you and I will take out the force on the right okay?"

"Roger."

"Renchef copies. Going to do a little damage."

"Dobday, this is Sergeant Major Austin of the Midnight Fenrir, do you read me?"

"We read you Sergeant Major"

"Good. My teams will take out the enemy threatening our position and we will withdraw to the south. We have Jukon subs that will take us to California."

"Understood. We will begin loading our trucks."

With this confirmation, Austin moved toward the heat signatures on the left.

"I see four, no, five feddie mobile suits. Looks like they have a tank squad and a few missile trucks to." He announced as he looked at the enemy through his scope.

"Lopez, Johnson, go to that ramp on the side of the hill and cut them off. I will advance over that ramp there and try to force them your way."

"Got it"

As his teammates moved into position, Austin prepared a cracker grenade. He threw it at the assembled mobile suits. The fools appeared to have their sensors set to idle. The cracker took out two of the mobile suits. The tanks and trucks fled immediately, right into a barrage from Lopez and Johnson. The three remaining mobile suits would not be taken so easily, however. They came online as the three Zaku I's moved in. Austin brought one down as he tried to raise his weapon. One of the others forced Austin's wing mates to take cover as he sprayed at them with 100mm shells. The third, which had squad leader markings, advanced toward Austin as he reloaded his bazooka. It reached down to a hatch on its lower right leg. Before he could finish, he had to drop the weapon and hit the deck as the mobile suit rushed towards him with something alight in its hand. As it turned to where Austin was on the ground, he could clearly see the pink laser sword in its hand. He had read of such weapons in intel regarding the Trojan Horse, but he had never seen one up close before. He knew that his old model heat hawk did not have the necessary anti-beam coating to duel with the saber. As he stood his mobile suit up, he came up with a new plan. He ignited his jump jets and charged at the mobile suit using his shoulder cap. The enemy pilot brought his shield up to block. Before he could also bring his beam saber around into Austin's back, Matt was able to shove his fist through the sensor plate in the Federal suit's head. He shoved the suit away as its head exploded in a shower of flame as the cracker grenade he had put through the sensor plate exploded. The cockpit hatch blew off as the pilot ejected.

Austin turned to see Lopez wrestling his heat hawk through the cockpit hatch of the remaining unit. Johnson had been killed by the machine gun fire.

Behind the Dobday, Renchef's unit was getting through dealing with the mobile suits there. They also had beam sabers, but the heat sabers carried by Renchef's Goufs were coated with a special anti-beam material that prevented beam sabers from cutting through them. His radio began buzzing, "Renchef, state your status."

"We're all good here Matt. These Feddies never knew what hit them."

"Get back over here quick. We still need to deal with the final unit and Roberto and I are both down a man."

"On it."

The Goufs hurried back to the Dobday and joined up with the other two teams.

The only way to assault the hill where the remaining mobile suits were stationed was up a ramp right in front of the them. Worse yet, the Federal troops had detected them and had commenced firing, knocking out Roberto's remaining wing mate. Austin and Roberto's teams tried sending bazookas shells at the mobile suit. There were at least three Guncannons with the enemy. As the 240mm shells drove the Zeons behind a rock formation, the Federation forces began to advance. As Roberto stood to fire, a shell took out his left leg. Lopez lost his head to a machine gun round.

In a last effort to overcome the enemy, the Zeon's threw smoke grenades in their direction. With Austin and Renchef's wing mates providing cover, Renchef advanced alone. In the smoke, he began to dismantle the six mobile suits. He tore the heads off the standard suits before they could detect him. He managed behead one Guncannon with his saber before one of the remaining ones grabbed him from behind. The last Guncannon turned to face them as the smokescreen cleared and aimed its 240mm cannons at his cockpit. Renchef angled his rocket thrusters straight back and fired them. The Federal pilot ejected in shock as the flames began to burn through his cockpit wall. The jets propelled Renchef at the remaining Guncannon. He brought his saber up over his head and slammed it down onto the mobile suit's head. He worked the saber through the suit until he had sliced it rather messily in half.

"Austin, you still alive over there?" he asked as he surveyed the battlefield.

"I'm here lieutenant. Dobday, are you ready for retreat?"

"Yes Sergeant Major. Our trucks are pulling out now."

"Very well. We have some pilots in need of pickup over here."

"On our way."

After they had recovered Lopez, Roberto, and one of Roberto's wingmen who was not seriously injured, they set off to the south towards the rendezvous with the Jukon submarines.


	8. The Hunted

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_Odessa has fallen. The Fenrir Team retreats on board Jukon submarines._

**Interlude**

**The Hunted**

**November 10th UC 0079, 0230**

**U-453**

**The Black Sea**

After rendezvousing with the Dobday team, the Jukon submarines hurried to the east to meet with the rest of the Fenrir squad.

"Where are they? We can't wait much longer." The commander of the submarine said angrily as he stared at the clock. The Fenrir team and the allies they were supposed to be escorting were almost an hour late to the rendezvous. The commander knew that, if he stayed on station too long, there was a good chance that Federal anti-sub plans would detect and destroy his unit.

"Commander, I'm detecting a small number of ground vehicles moving towards us at high speed. I'm picking up a number of pursuers and weapons discharges as well."

"That must be them. Bring us to the surface and prepare for emergency recovery."

"Aye sir!"

The Jukon subs surfaced quickly into the early morning darkness. There was a heavy rain coming down. As the lead sub extended a ramp to the shore for the vehicles and mobile suits to board, the scopes picked up flames in the forest not far from the shoreline. The trucks and Magella Attack tanks flew up the ramp at high speed. Three Zaku IIFs units appeared out of the forest next, heading for the second Jukon, firing behind them. 240mm explosive shells and machine gun bullets flew out of the forest after them.

"Okay that's everyone. Let's get the hell out of here!" The sub team commander shouted.

"Not yet! I still have one team out there!" Schmitzer shouted as Swaggard helped him into the bridge.

"Major, I cannot endanger my team any longer. We will have enemy mobile suits on us in minutes, not to mention anti-submarine planes. We must leave!"

"I'm not leaving my best man! Let the other two subs go, but we stay!"

"Fine. But if the enemy gets here first, we leave."

"Agreed."

Right after they had finished arguing, Roher's Zaku team staggered out of the forest. One was missing its head and another was dragging a barely usable leg behind it.

"Forscythe, O'Donnell, get on the sub, I'll cover you!" Roher shouted as he turned back towards the forest and fired his 120mm at their pursuers. His Zaku was missing its right arm and its thruster pack was inoperable.

"But Captain, you can't reload! You'll never make it alone, that psycho Guncannon is still out there!"

"That is not your concern lieutenant. Now get on the sub, leave your suits!" Roher ordered his wingman.

They abandoned their suits on the shore and ran up the ramp towards the hatch. Roher ran out of ammo and prepared to ditch his own suit as a single Guncannon emerged to his left, just ahead of the Jukon's bow. As it took aim at the sub, Roher hit his boosters, using what little functionality remained in the thruster unit and hit it, throwing the shot off. Using his remaining momentum, he turned and pulled the other mobile suit with him into the sea.

/Well here's the interlude I decided to do in place of writing a full Chapter 8. Attack Jaburo to come shortly. Thanks for reading and thanks to all those that have favorite or reviewed this story. If you have any comments, feel free to put them down!


	9. Attack Jaburo

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG or Zeonic Front, they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_It's time to take the fight to the Federation. Suit Up._

**Chapter 9**

**Attack Jaburo**

**November 30th UC 0079, 1730**

**Gaw Attack Carrier**

**Above Central America**

The newly promoted Lt. Col. Schmitzer walked down the hall towards the briefing room on board the Fenrir unit's lead Gaw carrier. His new prosthetic leg allowed him to finally walk without the aid of a cane again, albeit with a pronounced limp. As he entered, he found his team, most of them also newly promoted, seated at the briefing table. For once, there was silence in the room. As he sat down at the head of the table, he took note of the screens at the other end of the room, which were connected to cameras in the briefing rooms of the other Fenrir Gaws, which enabled him to brief everyone simultaneously.

"I don't think I need to tell you that this is probably the single most important mission any of us will undertake in this war. Here's how it's supposed to go. Our teams will descend from the Gaws. Once you land, your mission is to find a way into the base itself. Five of our teams, fifteen mobile suits, will go into the base and look for command headquarters. The remaining four teams will guard the entry point against a Federation counterattack and secure a retreat route if the attack team needs it. Our drop point is here." He drew a circle on his tablet, which was reflected on the large map on the wall behind him. "The exfil point, if needed, is here," he marked another point, "the Gaws will fly low enough for you to jet up into the hangar, so conserve your fuel. Are there any questions before I give out the team assignments?"

The room was dead silent; all the pilots were hanging on Schmitzer's next words. The attack team meant a greater risk, but it also meant greater glory, if the operation should succeed.

"Okay then. Roberto, Hepner, and Manning: you're the reinforcement team. Roher, Austin, Renchef, and Swaggard: you're the attack team. We also have two new pilots that have been transferred here to join us: Capt. Sophie Fran and 1st Lt. Sandra Donnelly. Fran will join the attack team and Donnelly will go with the reinforcement team. We will reach the drop area in an hour. Go prepare your mobile suits. Good hunting."

The pilots dispersed to prepare themselves for the upcoming attack. There were two teams per Gaw. Roher was on the lead plane with Renchef. As he walked to the hangar, he could hear Felix telling one of the Gaw's crew that he "wasn't gonna hold back" and "all them feddies are gonna die". Truth be told, he would have rather been on the plane with Austin. Personally, he considered Renchef a liability. The man was a decent enough pilot, but his aggressive side sometimes took over, making him disregard strategy.

Roher reached the front hanger of the Gaw. He had barely escaped from his Zaku after pulling that Federation pilot in the water retreating from Odessa. The Jukon was able to open a hatch and let him in after he escaped his cockpit. For this mission, he had been assigned one of the newest Zeonic Company mobile suits, the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom. It was a variant of the standard B type Gouf with improved mobility and firepower. The units assigned to Roher's team were the standard Zeon green, rather than the blue Ramba Ral inspired coloration of standard Goufs. Roher put his pilot suit on and grabbed his helmet before heading over to his mobile suit. From the floor to the command antenna on top of its head, the unit stood over 61 feet tall. As he settled into his cockpit, Roher noticed several featured not present on his Zaku. First of all, there were two "windows" on the front of the cockpit hatch behind steel plates that could be opened in case the main cameras were damaged. The second was the seat. Whereas the Zaku II (both the F and JC types) had the cockpit placed above and in front of the large reactor, the B-3 Gouf had the cockpit under the reactor. There was a large space behind the pilot's seat and the seat itself was attached to rails. Unlike the Zaku, the Gouf appeared to have an ejection system. Sure enough, there was a lever with a large red handle next to the right hand control stick with "DANGER: EJECTION SEAT ACTIVATOR" printed on it.

After surveying the cockpit and adjusting the seat, Roher set to work examining the capabilities and weapons of his new suit. Most of the equipment was standard: heat saber, shield, the new 90mm MMP-80 machine gun, and grenades. But the new Gouf also carried some additional armaments: an electrified cable called the "heat rod" for disabling enemy mobile suits, and a 35mm triple barrel gatling cannon for anti-air/close range attack. The most striking of the new weapons was, undoubtedly, the large 75mm gatling cannon attached to the shield. It was so long that the suit's arm had to be held at an angle to avoid it dragging on the ground. Designed as a mobile suit destroyer, the B-3 Gouf was equipped with nearly the same firepower as Roher's entire Zaku squad combined. And he had 3 of them at his disposal.

After he finished going over his mobile suit's capabilities, there were still at least 20 minutes before the operation's scheduled start time. He reached into one of the pouches on his flight suit and pulled out a small box. Every pilot had their own ritual before going out on sortie. Some, like Nikki, wrote in journals. Matt, and other pilots with families, wrote letters back home in case they didn't make it back. Others slept. There were a few, like one Russian pilot Roher had known at his first deployment station, who got drunk. Most of them never made it back.

Roher pulled a rosary out of the box. It had belonged to his grandmother, who had given it to him when he graduated high school. He hadn't been to church in a long time and had lost his faith somewhere on the battlefield. His brush with death at Odessa had made him reconsider things. Perhaps, he thought, there needed to be more in his life than fighting. And anyhow, as Matt had said when the Jaburo operation was announced, if it would win Zeon the war, he would consider selling his soul.

Roher was just putting the rosary back into the box when the speakers called out "Attention all pilots: drop zone reached. Opening bay doors in 1 minute." Roher quickly switched his Gouf from standby mode to assault mode. The reactor quickly reached full power and the generator hummed as the control panels lit up. He checked the cameras and saw Renchef's team and his own wingmen had also powered up their mobile suits.

"Are you ready, Felix?"

"Always ready, Lou."

"Bay doors opening. Good luck."

The sky in front of the Gaw was a beautiful, clear blue stained with black blotches. The Gaw shuddered as flak shells burst around it. One of Renchef's wingmen was the first to step off the plane, only to be hit square in the cockpit by a shell. Renchef's second wingman stood paralyzed at the sight of his friend's demise.

Aboard the second plane, Austin jumped first. He carried a Gouf style shield that he held in front of him to push through the shrapnel filled sky. He looked up to see the cockpit of the lead plane erupt in an orange and black fireball. Austin saw two mobile suits fall out intertwined; it appeared Roher had tackled the paralyzed pilot out of the hangar, followed by the other three mobile suits still onboard.

As they plummeted toward Earth, Capt. Sophie Fran began searching for possible entry points to the underground areas of Jaburo. She saw the Roher/Renchef team heading for roadway tunnel with the Austin/Swaggard team close behind them. On her right, she saw a construction area, with a poorly hidden, freshly dug tunnel into the rocky island.

"Fran team, we're going to head over to that construction tunnel on the right."

"Got it ma'am"

"Roger that" both wingmen responded.

"I'll back you up." Hepner announced as she moved in behind Fran.

Each of the support team pilots were assigned to an element of the attack team. Hepner to Fran, Roberto to Renchef and Roher, and Manning to Austin and Swaggard. Sandra had been assigned to secure the exfil point and to support any of the other support teams if needed.

Swaggard descended alongside Austin in his brand new MS-09 Dom. Based off the prototype suit used by the Black Tri-Stars at Odessa, this massive unit sported extremely heavy armor and firepower. Before leaving the Gaw, Swaggard had exchanged his magazine of standard 360mm explosive shells for one that contained fuel-air explosive shells. As he descended, he took aim at the vertices of AAA fire coming up at the descending mobile suits. The jungle below the Fenrir units erupted into a deadly inferno. Ahead of him, Swaggard could see the massive crater left when the lead Gaw had crashed. The remaining Gaws had begun dropping a mixture of standard ordinance and napalm explosives on the jungle. As he began to reload his bazooka, one of the federal gunners scored a lucky hit on his Dom, tearing off the left arm and damaging the main camera.

"Damn! I'm hit!" he called over the radio, which was by now fuzzy with Minovsky interference.

"How bad?" Austin asked.

"Bad enough. My left arm's gone and half my monitors are blank."

"Shit. You better join up with the support team; you'll get torn up if you go into the base like that." Roher chimed in, "Lieutenant Sandra, looks like you're moving up to the attack team. Follow Sergeant Major Austin into the underground."

"Roger that, sir!" Sandra called as she hit her boosters and moved forward.

Seconds later, the suits landed on the shores of Jaburo. The drop, from the time the doors opened to the time they touched down, had taken barely two minutes.

The teams moved into the entry points they had located during the drop. Roher entered the tunnel first, followed by Austin; Sandra and Renchef brought up the rear.

Further down the tunnel, a squad of federal tanks was stationed behind concrete barricades, waiting for any sign of the enemy in the dark.

"Do you see anything corporal?" The commander asked.

"No sir. Nothi- wait. I think… I've got mono-eyes over here! At least 9 mobile suits sir!" the observer shouted into her headset.

The Type 61's began to train their guns towards the approaching mobile suits, but they were obliterated by 75mm fire from Roher's gatling gun before they could fire even one round.

"OK. We're in. Can you still hear us sir?" Roher asked.

"Yes major. Continue to move in. Captain Fran is already inside."

Elsewhere in the base, Fran's team was hovering through a construction area. Aside from a few automated turrets, they had met no resistance. Ahead, there was an opening into the working facilities of the base, guarded by a squad of three mobile suits. Fran signaled for her team to halt.

"Lieutenant Foster, do you have any readings on those mobile suits?"

"Yes captain. They appear to be two of the newer mass produced Federation suits. They are less powerful than those deployed in the Odessa Campaign. The one on the middle is their artillery model. A single 240mm cannon forms its primary armament."

"Right. Let's take them out quickly."

The 2 RGM-79 GM's were armed with new Beam Spray Guns, a reduced power version of the Gundam's beam rifle. They were powerful enough to take out a mobile suit in one shot. As the three Doms appeared out of the tunnel, they turned and attempted to fire. However, their armor was no match for the 360mm shells from the Giant Bazookas that Fran's team carried.

As the 3 guards went down, the Doms were ambushed by 5 more mobile suits that had been around the corner, just out of sight.

Foster managed to smash one of the GM's heads while Fran's other wingman was obliterated as a beam lanced through his cockpit. Fran herself managed to grab the leader and throw his suit into one of his subordinates before detonating both of them with a bazooka shell. She quickly turned her attention to the other two suits. One fell from a swipe with her new heat sword. The other made the mistake of trying to take her on in single combat. He managed to parry her first two strikes with his beam saber before she activated the Dom's special weapon: the spraybeam emitter. It was basically a massive strobe light installed in the mobile suits torso. The GM pilot was blinded by the light and attempted to raise his shield to block the next blow which was sure to come, but it was to no avail. Fran drove the point of her sword through the shield and mobile suit, penetrating the cockpit. As the GM fell, lifeless, Fran turned to see Foster finishing off the GM in front of her.

"Major Roher, this is Captain Fran. Do you read? Over." Fran called into her headset. Hopefully the other teams hadn't been overcome by similar ambushes.

"We read you. What's your status?" Roher answered calmly as he surveyed what remained of the units that tried to ambush his and Renchef's team.

"We're in the main base now. One KIA. We met with an ambush of the new MS."

"We did as well. No casualties yet. Wait until we've linked up with Austin and Sandra and we will all move on the HQ together."

"Yes, Sir."

Roher and Renchef ran forward into the base to find Austin and Sandra engaged in a firefight with another unit of ambushers.

Austin's Zaku I's crouched behind thief shields, blasting away with their shotguns. The GM's were taking cover behind their shields and base structures; they did not appear to be outfitted with the new beam weapons. Sandra's Zaku II JC's sprayed the area with 90mm machine gun fire, bringing down many of the attackers. One enterprising pilot got the idea to charge Austin as he reloaded his shotgun. The mobile suit ran at Austin, shield first, only for Austin to drop his shield and weapon and sidestep. As the GM pilot hurriedly stopped his suit, he became painfully aware of a beeping coming from the weapons console: beam saber withdrawn from rack.

"HAHAHAHA! Take that you asshole!" Austin yelled as he brought the captured saber back down through the back of the GM, detonating its booster fuel in a rather satisfying explosion. Sandra's team brought down the rest of the Federal troops.

"OK everyone, the HQ should be just ahead. Reload and prepare to move out." Roher ordered as he reloaded his own weapon.

Austin picked his shotgun back up and shoved another magazine into it. Rather than pick up his own shield, he grabbed the fallen GM's shield and hefted it onto his left arm.

"Everyone good? OK then. All teams: MOVE IN!" Roher shouted.

The Zeons ran forward as Fran's team hovered in from their side. Only to be met, not with command HQ, but with a spaceship dock.

"Lieutenant colonel, we have a problem." Roher radioed in, " We have reached the attack target, but it doesn't appear to be command HQ. Rather, it looks like a dock for space warships. There is one warship docked here. It appears to be a similar to the Trojan Horse. What are your orders?"

Schmitzer wasted no time in making up his mind, "We made it this far, might as well finish the job. Destroy everything in sight! Absolutely everything!"

"Roger!"

The Zeon team rushed forward just as more mobile suits ran over the bridge that spanned the width of the dock. They fell quickly under a hail of Zeon bullets.

Renchef and Sandra ran the length of the ship, blasting it full of ordinance as they went. Roher, Fran, and Austin went across the two bridges over the bay, one at the bow and one at the stern of the ship. The engines erupted in a plume of smoke and flame as Austin's bazooka rounds tore threw them. The bridge was nearly torn clean off the coning tower by 360mm shells from Fran's Giant Bazooka.

As the ship sat burning, the Fenrir team gathered on the other side of the bridges, preparing to move forward, when two shells detonated a few feet from them. A single blue mobile suit stood at the other end of a bride across another docking bay.

"It's a Gundam!" Sandra shouted as the Zeon's took cover.

The new mobile suit ran across the bridge with its beam saber ignited, only to be met with a hail of bullets. Although they did very little damage to the Luna Titanium armor, the suit did stagger a bit under the force.

It was at this time that Fran and Sandra struck.

Fran hovered up behind the Gundam and restrained it. Sandra let loose a salvo from her leg mounted missile pods, taking out the knees before rushing in and carving a gash through the middle of the mobile suit's head.

"Well, looks like he's done." Austin said as he walked up on the collapsed mobile suit and blasting it in the back with his shotgun just for kicks.

"Roher, it's Schmitzer. The other units are having trouble hanging on. We're beginning to pull out. Our scanners how you're not that far away from us. There's an access hatch not too far from your position."

"Roger that, we'll be out momentarily."

Less than half of the Zeon attack force made it back to California Base. Zeon was on the defensive.

_End Chapter 9_


	10. Interlude 2

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, "Summer Wind", or "Beyond the Sea" they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_._

**Interlude 2**

**December 2****nd**** UC 0079, 1800**

**Officer's Club**

**California Base**

The Federation forces had followed up their success at Jaburo in short order. As early as the next morning, Federation forces launched a strike on the California Base Complex. Further north, at the Fenrir's station, the Zeons reinforced their fortifications and waited. Despite Schmitzer's protests, half of the Fenrir team had been posted to defend the last HLV launch pads in North America. The other half was assigned to stations in space. The last night before the Monterey Station went to combat status, the Fenrir team hosted a going-away party for the pilots assigned to space.

The officer's club was empty except for the team, the house band, and the bartender. Roher, Fran, and Sandra sat at the bar. Hepner anr Roberto sat at a table near the stage. Renchef was playing, and losing, a game of pool with Austin. Schmitzer was playing the piano on stage while Manning sat nearby with his saxophone. Swaggard, after he had a few drinks, sang some songs for the room.

As Lee began to sing "Summer Wind", Roher was sipping from his second bourbon. The newly promoted Captain Sandra Donnelly took a swig from her beer.

"So, Lou, tell me: how is it that I was the one assigned to lead the Fenrir space team and not you?" she asked.

"Because I passed up on it." He said with a small smile, " Compared to most of the Zeon pilot corps, I'm an old man. I have a feeling things are going to get pretty bad down here; they're going to need us experienced guys."

"You're only 25! If you're an old man, what does that make Austin?" Fran giggled as she stirred her drink with its umbrella.

"I heard that!" Matt shouted, laughing himself.

"As a matter of fact Matt, I figured I needed to stay with you, in case you forget how to get to the head, old man!" Lou shouted back to a chorus of laughter.

Austin did a hearty old man "Harumph!" and turned back to his pool game.

"All kidding aside Sandra, you're the right person for the job."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Lou. It's just too bad I didn't really get to spend too much time with y'all."

"Ahhh, we'll have time to catch up after we kick the Feddies's ass!" Austin said as he planted the 8 ball in the middle pocket and walked up to the bar himself.

The pilots continued laughing and drinking while the band played "Beyond the Sea".

They spent the rest of the night talking, drinking, singing, and relaxing. Austin did a stand-up routine that involved a character named Admiral Ian M. Short with a napoleon complex. Renchef even performed a few magic tricks.

Although the pilot's knew that they would be separated in a few short days and that all of them would be back on the front lines again soon enough, life seemed normal for a change.


	11. Final Defense

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, etc. they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_The Federation has mounted a counterattack. The target is California Base. Who will survive?_

**Chapter 10: Final Defense**

**December 4th UC 0079, 1300**

**Monterey Station**

**California Base**

The morning after the going away party, the Fenrir team received word that the launch of the units going to space was postponed from afternoon on December 4th to late evening on December 5th. The reason: Federation attack. The last remaining launch pad in California capable of sending out HLV's was located to the southeast in Bakersfield. Command was concerned that, if the Federation advance was not stopped, the launch facility would be overrun before the launches could be carried out.

Lt. Col. Schmitzer arrived at the Monterey Station's command center just a few minutes after the alarms started blaring. The colonel in charge of California Base's mobile suit forces rushed over to relay the situation to him, "Garret, thank god you're here. The Federation has a massive invasion force positioned just off the coast. Aircraft carriers, subs, all kinds of shit. I have no idea how we missed it. They've got hundreds of planes in the air and we've also detected submarine mobile suits coming in. That doesn't include ground units yet. We should have sent your unit into space yesterday like I wanted to, but that idiot Spencer refused. "

"He has his head up his ass, what else is new? Where do you need my forces?" Schmitzer asked as he sat down at a command console.

"Along the #4 defense line. We only have some outdated turrets and depth charges guarding the coastline. If they break through there…"

"They'll overrun the base." Schmitzer finished, "Alright, we'll take care of it. Lou, did you hear that?"

"Yes, sir. I'll take Hepner, Sandra, Swaggard, and Manning to the coast." Roher responded as he moved out in his Gouf B-3.

Upon arriving at the pier, the Fenrir found it strangely calm. The concentration of AA from both the shore facilities and docked submarines was keeping the aircraft at bay.

"OK everyone. The _Mad Angler_ is here. It's the flagship of the Zeon fleet. They're going to come here soon enough. Sandra, Manning, set up for long range fire. Swaggard, get some air-burst shells ready. Hepner set up the external sensor pods." Roher ordered quickly as he scanned the area. The dock at their position held the _Mad Angler_ and 2 _Jukon_-class submarines. This pier was located at the end of the docks and extended further into the sea than the others, leaving a three way attack possible.

"Sensor pod is up. I'm not seeing anything. This is strange" Hepner notified the team.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Sandra said as she checked the ammo load on her Magella cannon again.

"Oh shit! Get back!" Swaggard yelled as the _Mad Angler_ and one of the _Jukon_'s erupted in flame. As they scrambled back from the flames, mobile suits began appearing over the edge of the pier. The Zeon mobile suits returned their fire almost immediately. The first three out of the water fell to Roher's gatling cannon. They were different from the normal GM's and looked to be the Federation's attempt at an amphibious mobile suit.

"They're like freaking cockroaches!" Hepner shouted as she kicked one of the GM's in the face and sent it back into the sea.

She wasn't wrong. All over the pier, both at the Fenrir's position and further up the coast, the amphibious MS were scrambling onto the pier like insects. The Zeon's were doing a decent job of keeping them at bay, since, like the MSM-03 Gogg, the amphibious GM was not all that mobile outside the water.

Roher dispatched more of the GM's with his cannon and MMP-80 machine gun. Manning and his sniper squad felled more from long range. The momentum of a well-placed hit was enough to send the suits back into the water, where they soon flooded and the electronics shorted out.

"One Down!" Sandra shouted as one of the new suits exploded from her first shot. "These Feddies don't stand a chance! I'll give 'em a good whoopin!" she shouted as she blew up more suits. For a small moment, it seemed like the battle was going in the Zeon's favor.

"Sir, you're not going to like this, but we've got cargo planes coming in." Swaggard reported as he hefted his giant bazooka and aimed it skyward.

The Medea planes cruised dangerously low over the water as they approached the battle. That could mean only one thing: they were about to air drop mobiles suits.

"Bring them down! Sandra, Manning, forget the fish, get those planes!" Roher shouted as he wrestled his heat saber through one of the GM's.

Swaggard, Manning, and Sandra sent rounds into the sky. Swaggard's air-burst shells lit up in the light blue sky as they downed one of the transport planes and its escorting fighters. There were about 20 planes headed for their position, which meant something in the neighborhood of 40 mobile suits about to be dropped on their heads. Even with their expert marksmanship, there was no way they could stop them all.

The first Medea to reach the pier lowered its cargo ramp and dropped two RGM-79[G] mobile suits out. Roher and Hepner sprayed machine gun fire up at them as they fell. One hit the ground, lifeless, with at least a dozen bullet holes in its cockpit. The other managed to block any potentially fatal bullets with its shield and hit the ground relatively unharmed. It proceeded to face off against Roher. His gatling cannon clicked empty as he aimed it at the GM, which had just drawn its beam saber. The GM charged, using its boosters to propel itself, leaving Roher no time to bring up his heat saber. Instead, he let the Federation pilot slice through his empty gatling cannon, before detaching the entire shield assembly.

"What the?" was all the Federal pilot could say before a hail of bullets from the triple gatling gun mounted under Roher's shield ended his life.

"Lou! Watch out!" Sandra screamed into the comm.

Roher turned just in time to see a flash of pink light as an RX-79[G] took out both of his legs with a swipe from its beam saber. Swaggard responded by thrusting his bazooka into the cockpit hatch and detonating the upper half of the suit.

"Sir, are you ok?" Hepner asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. But I'm out of this one." Roher said coolly.

Meanwhile, more suits were still dropping from the planes and climbing out of the sea. The rest of the Fenrir team had forgone their firearms in favor of heat hawks and sabers.

Manning was holding one of the suits still while Sandra carved her way into the cockpit. Hepner picked up a nearby machine gun and stood guard over Roher's damaged suit. She had managed to prop the Gouf into a strange sitting position so Roher could still provide fire support to the rest of the Fenrir team, which he did.

Meanwhile, back at the command headquarters, Schmitzer was watching the entire coastline light up in red as the Federation overwhelmed the defenders. The only good news he had received so far was that the rest of the team had held off an artillery support unit that was advancing on the launch facility further to the south. As it looked now, Monterey Station would fall by nightfall, if not sooner. Reports from other coastal facilities indicated that they were in similar situations.

"This is Lieutenant Colonel Schmitzer to Bakersfield command headquarters. Come in Command HQ!" Schmitzer opened a radio channel to Gen. Spencer. He needed to convince him to move up the launch, since there was no way California Base would hold out until midnight the next evening.

"This is Colonel Amalfi. General Spencer has been relieved of command. Permanently. What is your situation?"

Finally, someone took care of that incompetent menace of a commander.

"We're close to being overrun. The command center is beginning a withdrawal, followed by the combat troops. We need to move the HLV launch up, or else there will be nothing to send up in it!"

"Understood. Move all your troops to this location. We launch at nightfall. You have 15 minutes until Gaw carriers carpet bomb your position."

"Yes, sir!" Schmitzer responded. He then keyed over to the Fenrir channel, "Alright people, we're withdrawing to Bakersfield on the double. Launch moved up. We're abandoning the command center now. Bombing coming in 15 minutes, get out now! Good luck!"

"Understood sir!" Hepner, come get me so we can get out of here. Let's go, we're falling back to Bakersfield!"

"Roger sir!" Hepner knelt down and opened her cockpit hatch so that Roher could climb aboard.

Swaggard zipped around the area on his hover jets, slicing up the mobile suits in his way.

"Yes Major! Dom squad, let's clear the way!"

Manning dispatched his latest victim with a "borrowed" beam spray gun. He threw away the now empty weapon and drew his heat hawk. His sniper squad rallied around the remaining Zakus from the defensive unit as they withdrew, providing covering fire with captured weapons. Sandra and her squad fired their machine guns, which they carried as backups to their cannons, at the enemy mobile suits as they lead the way behind the Dom squad.

"Look out! Incoming!" Swaggard called as a damaged C-88 Medea craft careened toward them, out of control. The Zeons quickly dodged out of the way as it crashed in their midst. A pink circle formed on the side of the plane.

"Watch it! Something's trying to cut its way out!" Manning said as he took aim, "Shoot it before it gets out!"

The Zeons turned to open fire on the transport, but they were blinded by a flash grenade that cam flying out of the hole. Some fired wildly in the direction of the transport as a mobile suit climbed out.

"What is that?! AHHHHH!" One of Hepner's squad mates screamed as his mobile suit was torn apart. First his, than one of the other unit's Zaku I's, then a Gouf.

"Welcome to hell, spacenoid scum!" A hoarse voice came over the comm.

When the Zeons' cameras recovered from the flash grenade, they were faced with a terrifying sight. A GM stood in their midst, but not a standard model. It had more armor on the chest and head, a red visor, and was painted a deep blue. In its hands, it held a pole arm. At the tip of the pole were two beam emitters, one horizontal, the other pointing straight up. One of the Zeons raised her machine gun to open fire, but the GM slid across the ground and sliced the suit in half with one of the blades, and spun around and took out the suit on its other side. Two more suits, including one of Manning's wingmen rushed forward with heat hawks, only for the suit to swing around behind them and bisect one and thrust the spear through the other's cockpit.

"It moves like a Dom!" Roher exclaimed as he watched in horror as it destroyed more of their already small force.

"I'll get him!" Sandra rushed forward, brandishing two beam sabers she had drawn from downed suits. She surprised the GM from behind, and it only had time to spin and block her. In the process, it exposed itself to Manning , who unleashed a volley of Vulcan fire at its back and legs, disabling its rocket jets. Sandra and the GM were now on almost even footing.

"Don't just stand there gawking! Get the hell out of here!" Sandra bellowed into her microphone as she dueled the enemy. Reluctantly, the few remaining Zeon suits quickly continued their withdrawal. Despite Sandra's skill as a close combat pilot, she was unable to break through the enemy pilot's excellent defense. The pole part of his weapon was resistant to her beam sabers, so he used it like a quarterstaff to fend off her dual-wield saber assault.

"This guy's tough, but I just need to hold him off for a few more minutes." Sandra muttered to herself as she began to push him back.

If she could just keep him from chasing her comrades until the bombers came, both of them would be wiped out by the explosions. She likely would lose her life, but at least the rest of her team would live to go to space. Her only hope of survival was the ocean. The MS-06JC Zaku II that she was piloting had limited capability in shallow water. With his boosters gone, the enemy pilot would sink like a rock. Even more important, his only weapon, the beam spear, would short out on contact with the water, while she would still have her heat hawk. If she could force him into the water, she could then use her boosters to escape the water after the bombers had passed. It was a long shot, but one she thought she could make. As she slashed at the enemy with her right beam saber, it lost power. Seeing his opportunity, the Federation pilot brought his spear down and severed her right arm at the shoulder with an uppercut, and then brought the spear down again, severing the left arm at the shoulder as well with a downward swipe.

He switched his spear so that the blades were both horizontal, like a double bladed scythe. With one swing, he decapitated the Zaku II before bringing the weapon down over his head and sinking both blades into the Zaku's torso.

"hmmm. I guess my plan was nothing more than a pipe dream. At lease Lou and the others got away." Sandra whispered as the alarms blared and closed her eyes.

The Federation pilot kicked the Zaku away from his suit. The cockpit and most of the internal mechanics were destroyed by a small explosion. The reactor itself stopped its fusion reaction to avoid a nuclear blast. The pilot was more concerned with the Gaw attack carriers coming in, carpet bombing their way to the sea. As the Federal air forces withdrew to the west, a Medea dropped low with its cargo ramp open, which the GM grabbed a hold of and hauled itself into the compartment and rode back to the Federation fleet off the coast.

Inside the cockpit, the pilot pulled off his flight suit's helmet and wiped the sweat of his rather skull like face; that spacenoid pilot had been rather skilled. He had no doubt that, had her saber not failed, she may have just beaten him. But it didn't matter, he thought to himself as he pushed his sweaty blonde hair out of his face, she was dead and he was not. And Monterey Station had fallen.

"This is assault force to the EFNS Spengler, come in Spengler!" He called over the airwaves.

"This is the Spengler, Admiral McKeowan speaking. Who is this and what is the status of the operation?"

"This is 2nd Lieutenant Yazan Gable. 90% of the Zeke force has been annihilated. The rest are withdrawing south, according to plan.


	12. Hail Zeon

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, etc. they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_After the fall of Monterey Station and the death of Capt. Sandra Donnelly, the Fenrir fights to send the last North American HLV into space. Who will survive?_

**Chapter 11: Hail Zeon**

**December 5th UC 0079, 0000 **

**Bakersfield Spaceport**

**California Base**

"This never gets any easier." Schmitzer said as he stopped the video recording and put the disk in a box.

"I've had to make 9 of these disks since we landed on Earth. And 15 more between Operation British and Loum." He put the disk in an envelope and addressed it to Sandra's parents. It would be placed on the HLV and given to the chaplain corps at Granada. A condolence team would take it back to the Homeland. Roher shook his head. He and Sandra hadn't been particularly close, but they had been good friends for the month or so that he had known her.

After dropping off the envelope in the baggage loading area, the two officers walked to the garage to take inventory of what little supplies and ammunition they had at their disposal.

"We've got Hepner's ground combat Zaku II's, Matt's Zaku I's and Fran's Doms. Manning and Swaggard's suits are on the HLV. Renchef's Goufs were destroyed by the aerial bombing. The base has one F2 type Zaku II and your Zaku I." Roher rattled off.

Schmitzer looked around the garage as the mechanics scrambled around trying to ready the few remaining suits for battle.

"Why are they taking Swaggard's suits up to space?" He asked, slightly puzzled, "They're not set up for space combat anyway, are they?"

"Apparently they feel it's more efficient to refit them at Granada than to abandon them." Roher said, shrugging his shoulders. He clicked through more of the inventory on the computer.

"As far as weapons, we've got 2 360mm bazookas with a total of 40 rounds, 1 280mm bazooka with 25 rounds, 2 120mm machine guns with 600 rounds, 2 90mm machine guns, and 1 90mm assault rifle with 384 rounds between them. Matt's suits only have their shotguns left, three magazines each. All the suits are armed with heat swords or sabers. It's enough, but it won't go far if a lot of MS show up." He finished soberly.

Schmitzer thought for a moment. "Ok. Nikki's team can pilot the units Hepner's leaving behind. You take the F2. We'll give you the AR, give Fran the 360mm's and one of the 90mm's. Give Nikki the other 90mm and the 120mm's. I'll take the 280mm. Divide up the ammo as evenly as possible."

"Understood. I'll go tell the mechanics."

Roher rose from his chair and went to speak to the lead mechanic while Schmitzer looked over their supplies one more time. This would not be an easy fight. It would be an impossible victory.

"I just finished with the lead mechanic. They'll load up our suits how we decided. Should be ready in one hour, so we'll have two more hours before the HLV is ready to launch." Roher said as he returned.

The two officers snapped to attention as General Amalfi walked into the garage.

"Hello Major, Lieutenant Colonel, " he greeted them, "Thank you for staying behind. I wish I could send the all of your unit into space, but I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that your unit was the only one that could ensure that the launch goes through."

"We understand, sir. Thank you for your confidence." Schmitzer said.

"It's the truth. Your unit has the best combat record of the few units that remain here. Please follow me to the briefing room, the rest of your team is waiting."

The general lead the way to the briefing room just outside the garage. Roher and Schmitzer took their seats with Austin, Roberto, Fran and the other 6 pilots that would remain to see their comrades off into space. Hepner, Renchef, Manning, and Swaggard were preparing to board the HLV.

"Okay everyone. First of all, thank you all for agreeing to take this difficult assignment. Here's the plan for this morning's operation. Our technicians tell me that the HLV will be ready to go up at 0330. I want you all in your suits at 0300. The few bases that remain between us and the advancing Federation forces are holding off their advance fairly well. Hopefully, they'll keep them off of us long enough for the HLV to get up without trouble. You will take positions at three points around the launch pad: the canyon approach to the south, the forest to the west, and the airfield to the north. Our eastern boundary is protected by a rock formation. Any questions about phase I of the operation?" He finished speaking and looked out at the assembled pilots for questions. None of the soldiers raised a hand, they knew what they had to do.

"Good. Now for phase II. As soon as the HLV has ascended beyond range of the Federation's weapons, approximately 3 minutes after launch, all mobile suit teams will report to the airfield and abandon their mobile suits. You will then board the several Dora type planes that we have left. We will fly south to the tip of the Baja Peninsula. There is one final _Zanzibar_-class cruiser that we will board and head into space. If there are no questions about this part of the operation, I suggest you all try to get some rest before you need to be in your suits. That is all."

As he left the room, the pilots filed after them and dispersed through the base in search of a cot or couch on which to make an attempt at sleep for a few hours.

At 0310, the mobile suits were all in position, tensely awaiting any sign of the enemy. According to the last report before they set off, the Federation Forces were only miles away.

"Ok everyone," General Amalfi's voice came over the intercom, "Our sensors are picking up enemy activity in the forest. Looks like there is one command suit mixed in there, try to neutralize it if you can. Do not let their forces anywhere near the launch pad."

"Fran, you take them. Roher, go in for backup." Schmitzer ordered.

"Roger." Franc confirmed as she moved her suits forward.

"Detected the enemy. Looks like standard types with a few artillery suits mixed in." She said as her team pushed their Doms to full speed. They blitzed through the advancing Federal mobile suits, blasting them with bazooka shells and bullets. Most of the suits fell in the initial pass, and the rest fell as they opened fire from behind after they had passed through the formation. Only one suit remained standing. It was similar to the unit that had killed Sandra, but was colored in the usual Federation scheme and was missing the large beam spear. It dodged all the shells that were launched at it, and the 90mm bullets from Fran's wingman didn't have any effect.

"Ok. New tactic, Jenna, swords out, follow me!" Fran and one of her wingmen hit their boosters as they drew their heat swords. Jenna reached the command suit first on the left and swung her sword in a well planned feint that forced the enemy pilot to turn to the right to avoid it, right into the blade of Fran's own heat sword.

"Enemy command suit taken out. Good job Fenrir Team!" General Amalfi called over the comm. "Oh no! we've got a problem. Multiple enemy suits approaching from the south! All suits take defensive positions! I say again-" The transmission cut off as an artillery shell decimated the command center.

"Everyone this is Schmitzer, get into those dry riverbeds, we can use them as earthworks! Roberto, stay with the HLV to make sure no one sneaks in behind us!"

The Zeon suits jumped down into the trench that wound its way around the area where a river once ran. They took aim at the approaching Federation suits, which they could just make out by the glow of their camera visors.

"There must be at least 30 suits out there." Fran said, slightly worried as she checked her ammo; the opening engagement had taken most of it.

"I say bring it on!" Austin shouted as he racked the bolt on his shotgun.

"We can take them." Roher said, mostly to reassure himself as he took aim.

They all waited for Schmitzer's order.

"15 more minutes," he said, readying his own weapon, "good luck. Open fire!"

As the Federal suits emerged totally out of the forest, they were met with a barrage from the Zeon suits. Rockets and bullets wiped out the first suits, reducing them to but gears and twisted metal on the ground.

They pressed on however, and the Fenrir's ammo dwindled quickly. Both of Fran's wingmen were shot down as they attempted to reload their weapons. The Federation suits marched on toward the bridge that spanned the trench.

"Fran! The bridge! If they get to it, we'll be fish in a barrel!" Schmitzer shouted as he turned his bazooka on the structure and sent his last shells into it. Fran did the same and the bridge crumbled, forcing the Federation pilots to confront them in melee combat. The enemy dropped into the trench with beam sabers drawn. Fran and Roher each cut one down as they jumped, Schmitzer hacked the legs out from under another, causing it to fall face first into the dirt.

Austin and his one remaining wingman unloaded their shotguns into the enemy mobile suits, but still there were more. Roher smashed the visor of one suit while he cut into the cockpit of another with his saber. Fran lost one of her arms while dodging a saber strike that barely missed her fuel tank.

Two GM's restrained Austin's wingman as he fought viciously against their comrades. While Austin himself pulled his sword out of an enemy suit and rushed to his aid, he stopped and watched in horror as a third GM ground type unloaded its 100mm machine gun into the cockpit.

"Arthur!" Austin shouted in anger as they let his lifeless suit fall to the ground. Austin rushed forward and caught the first GM in an upward swing as it attempted to draw its saber. Continuing in a right hand turn, he brought the orange blade through the other suit.

The GM [G] opened fire, disabling Austin's left arm, but that didn't stop the Zeon veteran. He sliced through the weapon and down into the Federation suit's legs. As his enemy fell, Austin swung his saber over his head and sliced it messily in two straight down the middle.

"Serves you right jackass." He said coldy.

"2 minutes to launch! 5 till exfil, pull back!" Schmitzer ordered.

Fran dispatched the two suits in front of her before hitting her boosters and jumping out of the trench, followed closely by Austin. Roher and Schmitzer held off the enemy. Roher beheaded a GM before driving his saber into the back of a Guncannon, detonating it's ammo and destroying his saber in the process. He climbed out of the trench as Schmitzer backed toward the wall. He cut two suits down in one strike, before reversing his sword and brining it through another unit.

"Sir, it's time!" Roher yelled back as he turned to retreat.

"Go Lou! I'll hold them off!" the commander shouted back, downing another suit. "GO!"

Before Roher could turn to leave, the Federation forces began receding into the forest. Schmitzer dispatched the last two suits in the trench before climbing out himself.

"This can't be good."

As the turned to head for the airfield, the HLV lifted off in front of them.

"At least we sent them up." Roher said.

"We're not done yet. Have to get you all to Baja. Come on."

When they got to the landing strip, Roberto, Fran, and Austin had already abandoned their mobile suits and were aboard the planes. As they prepared to disembark, the pilot of the lead plane came on the cockpit viewscreen.

"I'm picking up a single mobile suit moving towards us at high speed. The rest of the Federation troops have halted."

"I knew this wasn't good." Roher said.

"Hey boss, should we get back in our suits?" Austin asked.

"No, continue with the retreat. I'll take care of it."

"But-"

"That's an order gentlemen. Lou, you are in command now."

Roher saluted Schmitzer from the ground, which the commander returned with his mobile suit's hand before picking up Austin's heat saber in addition to his own.

He headed back to launch pad as the planes taxied on the runway. A single blue mobile suit was there to greet him.

"We meet again." Schmitzer said.

"It is you. But I sent a missile straight into your cockpit!" The Federation pilot exclaimed.

"I survived."

"You won't today."

"We shall see."

Agar ignited his pink beam saber and held it in front of him. Schmitzer raised both of his heat sabers and rushed at the blue Gundam, which effortlessly slid to the right to avoid him.

"That's fast" Schmizter noted as he parried a blow from the beam saber, losing one of his swords in the process. Agara slid back on his jets to avoid Schmitzer's next strike.

The Zeon pilot spun to the left to avoid Agar's next attack, a stab directed directly as his cockpit. He was able to slice through Agar's backpack though, disabling those jet boosters and slowing him down significantly.

"Hmm. That was too easy" he thought as Agar retreated, no doubt assessing the damage to his mobile suit, "he's not being careful. If I can just distract him long enough."

"He's good. There's no way a Zaku I can keep up with the Mudrock!" Agar thought as he looked over his damage report monitor. The entire backpack system has shut down and was dumping fuel to stop a potential explosion, "I need to kill him. It's all that matters. I can shoot those planes down later."

Looking over his remaining equipment, he knew his only choice was to charge at the Zaku. He had expended both his beam energy and 300mm shells in the battle to reach the airfield. Only his 60mm vulcans remained, and those were useless against a mobile suit. Furthermore, only his lower leg boosters were still operational. If he tried to use those, his suit would fall flat on its back since it was so top heavy. This charge would have to be on foot.

Schmitzer eyed the enemy carefully as he planned his final move. The suits were too close together for him to dodge again. If he tried to block the Federation pilot's strike, the beam saber would tear through the old model heat saber he held and then into his Zaku. His only chance was to attack and hope to make contact with the enemy before he had a chance to evade, block, or attack Schmitzer.

"Hmm. Looks like the planes are out of range." Schmitzer said to himself, "and it looks like I have some booster fuel left. Here we go."

Agar blinked.

Schmitzer practically stood on the booster pedals and the old Zaku I shot into the sky. As he came down right onto the Mudrock, he brought his saber over his head and then down into a diagonal slash. Even as Agar moved to counterattack, Schmitzer's heat saber sliced its way through the Mudrock's Luna Titanium armor. However, as the Zaku fell, it pass straight through Agar's beam saber, which sliced straight through Schmitzer's cockpit.

The crippled Mudrock and the lifeless Zaku fell to the ground tangled in a mass of smoking metal. Agar clambered out of the cockpit and kicked his mobile suit in anger; he had failed in his mission. The death of yet another Zeon pilot was but a small consolation, even if it was an old adversary.

He may have failed, but Schmitzer did not. The HLV was safely recovered by Zeon forces in orbit and taken swiftly to the Granada Lunar Base. Roher, Austin, and the others aboard the transport planes made it safely to the Baja peninsula and boarded the final Zanzibar.

"Weclome aboard gents" the captain said as they boarded and arrived on the bridge. "We almost left without you. So you guys are the famous Fenrir? Where's your commander?"

"Yup. We're the Fenrir," Austin answered, "Lt. Col. Schmitzer stayed behind to cover our escape, he engaged one of those new Feddie super suits in close combat."

A heavy silence fell as the captain, Roher, and Austin shared a look of unconfirmed understanding; no more words needed to be said, they all knew that Schmitzer was gone.

"I am Major Roher, acting commander of the Fenrir." Roher said finally, offering his hand to the captain, who shook it firmly.

"Well then, we are glad to have you aboard, sir."

"So are we headed to the moon? Or Solomon?" Fran asked.

"Neither, ma'am. We've been ordered out of action to the Homeland. Apparently Lord Gihren has decided to fortify A Boa Qu in preparation for the final assault."

"Understood."

Roher walked to one of the bridge's side windows and looked out as the Earth faded to faint brown and green landmasses. Austin came and stood next to him.

"Too many good people are down their Mat." He said slowly, "Lord Garma, Sandra, Garrett, so many others."

"I know Lou, I know." The elder pilot said, clapping a hand on Roher's shoulder.

"How many more? How many more must we lose before this insanity ends?" He asked, looking at the rosary in his hands.

"I don't know man, I don't know."

Fran came over and rested her head on Roher's shoulder and cried softly. Roberto stood next to Austin, silent.

The four pilots looked out as the Earth, the resting place of so many of their comrades in arms, their friends, slipped away.

**End of Chapter 11 **


	13. Interlude 3

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, etc. they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_After fleeing from the Earth, the Fenrir Team returns home for reassignment. _

**Interlude 3: Home**

**December 8th UC 0079, 0900**

**Zum City**

**Side 3**

As the Zanzibar approached the chief colony of Side 3, the capital of the Principality of Zeon, the atmosphere on board was harried to say the least. Lacking a proper communications staff, the captain ran all over the bridge trying to communicate with his docking crew, the spaceport personnel, and the various soldiers on board his ship.

"Yes doctor, you must bring the wounded to the read hangar. Yes, I know it will be difficult to get them there, but it will be easiest to get the medics on board and the wounded into care from there rather than have them travel all over the ship!" The captain shouted, exasperated, into the phone. He hung up, just for it to ring again, this time with a call from the spaceport.

"Yes, this is Captain van Dorn. Yes, he's here, hold on. It's for you." He said, holding the phone out to Roher.

"This is Major Roher."

"Hello major. This is Lieutenant Commander Cecilia Irene, personal secretary to Admiral Gihren Zabi." A young female voice answered him.

"Yes. What can I do for the admiral?" Roher asked.

"He would like to meet you and the remaining members of your team in the Imperial Palace in one hour. We have cars waiting at the spaceport to collect you. Thank you." She abruptly hung up the phone.

"What was that about Lou?" Austin asked as he came up to the bridge with the rest of the team.

"Gihren's secretary. Apparently he wants to meet us."

"No shit? Well this should get interesting." Austin said, slightly confused.

The ship docked and the crew disembarked. The Fenrir team bade farewell to Capt. van Dorn before entering a small convoy of black cars that were waiting for them at the entrance to the spaceport. Each has a small Zeon crest on the front doors and flag standards on the front fender. Each car displayed the Zeon flag on one standard and the Home Guard flag on the other. They traveled quickly to the White Rose of the Capital Defense barracks on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. There, they changed into dress uniforms loaned to them by the soldiers stationed at the barracks for their audience with Gihren. They waited in the cavernous foyer of the palace until the appointed time, when Lt. Cdr. Irene came to collect them and led them to one of Gihren's audience rooms. They were silent as they traveled, the only sound coming from their footsteps on the cold marble floors of the palace. Even that sound was muffled as they left the public areas and entered the actual working space of the palace. Here, the hardwood floors were covered by a strip of deep green carpet that left only about 6 inches of flooring visible on either side of the wide hallway. They came to a room with double French doors.

"Please wait in here. I will let the admiral know you are here." Irene said shortly as she opened the door.

Roher entered first, followed by Austin, Fran, and finally Roberto. The room looked to be some sort of library, with bookshelves lining three of the walls, including on either side of the door. The fourth wall was made of ornate windows looking out over the grounds. An antique looking carpet covered the floor. In the center of the room there were several couches arranged in a three sided square facing a small coffee table. The team took their seats on these; they knew better than to sit in the winged armchair facing the door with its back to the windows.

"What do you think he wants?" Roberto asked, nervously.

"No idea. But we won't hear anything with you shaking so much, you're making your medals rattle." Austin responded dryly. The other pilots suppressed a laugh.

"Enough you two." Roher laughed. "Oy. Look sharp guys."

The doors swung open and Gihren Zabi entered the room. He stopped and returned the salute that the Fenrir team rendered him. He moved to the armchair and sunk into its deep seat. He motioned to the team to be seated as well.

"Thank you for joining me here. First of all, I want to express my condolences on the deaths of your team members lost in combat on Earth, especially Lt. Col. Schmitzer. He will be given a 2 rank promotion to brigadier general and the thanks of a grateful nation." He began, his voice was almost as oily as what was left of his hair. Roher now understood why Schmitzer referred to him as _die Schlange_- the snake.

"As you may be aware, you were originally supposed to be transferred to Granada when you arrived. However, Federation activity has made that too risky. Rather, you will stay here. Tomorrow at 0800 you will report to military HQ. There, you will be briefed and issued your new mobile suits to begin training. I don't think I need to impress upon you the urgency of the situation. The Federation is moving quickly and we need all our pilots to be ready to meet them when the time comes. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The team responded in unison.

"Good. Here are your orders and one rank promotions for all of you. Lt. Col. Roher, you are now permanently in command of the Midnight Fenrir Corps."

"Yes, sir, thank you sir." Roher said.

"Good. You are dismissed." Gihren said as he stood from his chair. The pilots saluted as he exited the room. They were escorted back to the barracks and given temporary quarters.

**December 9th UC 0079, 0800**

The next morning, the team reported to the HQ and were led to a small lecture hall. There was a tall, thin man in a lab coat waiting for them.

"Greetings. I take it you are the Midnight Fenrir?" The man asked.

"We are." Austin said.

"Good. I am Dr. Shyler, chief engineer of the Zeonic Company. With me is Dr. Dauphinmeyer, an engineer from the Zimmad Company. On your desks you will find the files on your new mobile suits." He began as another, shorter man stood up in the first row and waved.

"Before you break the seal on those folders, you need to know that what you are about to see is highly classified. Almost no one knows about what you're going to see in there. Any questions?"

When the Fenrir team responded in the negative, he gave them permission to open the envelopes and put 4 images up on the plasma screen behind him as they did.

"These are the newest mobile suits from both of our companies. Let's start with this one." Dr. Shyler began, selecting the image of what looked like a Zaku I.

"I designed this one specially for you, Sergeant Major."

"I'm flattered." Austin said sarcastically.

"You should be. This is what I've termed the MS-05Sx. It's basically a high mobility Zaku I. We've upgraded the reactor and installed much of the same equipment found on the MS-06R-1A high mobility Zaku II. It boasts slightly higher performance due to its lighter weight. Pretty standard, review the file and let me know if you have any questions." He finished, selecting another image.

"Thanks doc. Looks good." Austin commented as he flipped through the file.

"Ok. Now for you Lt. Col. Roher and Captain Roberto. Say hello to the newest Zeonic masterpiece: the MS-14 Gelgoog. Looks a lot like Zimmad's Dom, but is much different. More thrusters, longer operation times, and a higher output reactor. More importantly, we have been developing beam weaponry. The Gelgoog is equipped with a beam rifle and a double bladed beam saber. According to our tests, the Gelgoog can outperform even the White Devil, based on available data."

"Excellent. One question doctor, why does mine look different from the ones on the screen?" Roher asked.

"Ahh yes. It looks different because it is our latest model. The MS-14Jg Gelgoog Jaeger. It's an extreme high performance unit. It sports 110mm machine guns on the forearms, vulcans in the head, and a beam machine gun rather than a standard rifle. It also carries 2 single bladed beam sabers rather than the double found on the standard unit." He finished and sat down.

Dr. Dauphinmeyer stood up and clicked to the last slide, a Dom type suit.

"Don't think we forgot you, Major Fran. Your new suit is the MS-09F Dom Funf; the fifth Dom. It's basically a modular suit built on the Dom platform. Yours has been optimized for space combat. I've equipped it with a beam bazooka. This piece of weaponry is a large beam cannon attached to an energy generator mounted on the suit's back. Not as efficient as the Gelgoog's rifle, but a tad more powerful." He finished and sat down.

Following the briefing, the pilots began training in earnest. They drilled for almost 8 hours every day with the new suits, getting used to the new machines as well as training the rookie pilots that were assigned to their unit. This period of training lasted until December 24th. On that day, Zeon's space fortress Solomon came under attack by the Federation Fleet. The Fenrir team were immediately loaded onto the Hornuz, the Zanzibar that hat brought them to space. They, along with Gihren's massive Dolos battleship and a host of other vessels set off at top speed for the final defense line: A Boa Qu.


	14. The Last Fang

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, etc. they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_This is it. The Principality of Zeon engages the Earth Federation in battle for the final time in U.C.0079 . Who will survive?_

**Chapter 12: The Last Fang**

**December 28th UC 0079, 1300**

**A Boa Qu**

"Did you go see Emily before we left" Austin asked, stirring his drink idly with a straw. He and Roher had stopped in one of the many officers' clubs on A Boa Qu for a drink following yet another strategic briefing. This one was thankfully quite empty unlike most of the others; there were a lot of men and women looking to drown their sorrows or acquire some liquid courage at this point.

"No." Roher answered shortly as he sipped his scotch.

"You're lying." Austin responded and fixed Roher with a glare.

"Ok. I may have gone to see her." Roher admitted.

Emily was Emily von Dryden, Roher's fiancée before the war. Her father had pulled the plug on their engagement when Roher left his engineering doctoral program to attend the military academy and become a pilot. They had kept in touch secretly for a while, but her letters stopped coming sometime before the Battle of Odessa. Austin had figured her father had pushed her into marrying someone else.

"And?"

"And what? We had lunch."

"ugh," Austin groaned, "you know what I mean. Did daddy put her together with that arrogant banker prick. What was his name? Something with an O if I remember."

"Olsson. And he tried, but she apparently refused." Roher sipped his drink again, "I mean, it was nice to see her, but nothings' going to happen as long as this war's still going on. Though she said her father had started to like the idea of us being together again after hearing I was with the Fenrir."

"Huh figures, status-hungry rat prick. At least the war's not going to be on much longer though. Guess you'll have to decide soon."

"Yeah. I guess. Anyway, how's Vera and the kids?"

"They're good. Rationing's hitting them hard, but they're at her parents, trying to pool stuff together. Erica's doing good in school; Jack's decided he wants to be a mobile suit pilot when he grows up. Vera wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry when he said that." Austin said, looking far away as he thought of his wife and kids.

"Hehehe. Guess his old man made the life look too good huh?" Roher chuckled.

"I seem to remember a certain Uncle Lou sending him some sort of play set for his 10th birthday in May." Austin laughed loudly as he finished his drink.

Roher did the same and left a small tip on the bar

"Guess we should head to the hangar, the rest of the team's supposed to arrive today."

When they got to Hangar 240 where the rest of the team was supposed to dock, they found absolute chaos. They floated to the window overlooking the hangar, one of A Boa Qu's largest, and saw a mass of military personnel, mechanics, and medics scurrying about. There were several hunks of charred metal that looked to have once been the cockpit sections of mobile suits.

"Was there an accident on the ship? Were they attacked?" Roher asked a passing corpsman, alarmed.

"No sir. They're bringing survivors in from Solomon." He said, barely slowing down to answer them.

Roher and Austin watched in horror then as the wounded were strapped to gurneys and rushed into the medical wing of the base. Most were in various states of dismemberment. All were burned. It seemed that, for every soldier that was taken to the medical wing, there were at least 2 more that were quietly taken to the far corner of the hangar where they were being sent down to the morgue.

"Hello Lou, Matt." Manning said quietly as he, Hepner, Renchef, and Swaggard floated up to the other two.

"Hello gentlemen, Charlotte." Roher said. "We probably should get out of here." he added as a team of medics rushed past.

They went back to the officer's bar that Austin and Roher had left just a few minutes earlier. As the bartender made their drinks, Charlotte explained what happened:

"We were picked up by the fleet after we took off in the HLV. Then we went to Granada and began re-training to fight in space. When the distress calls came from Solomon, we assumed that we would deploy right away, but Col. M'Quve wouldn't leave. When he finally gave the order, Solomon had already fallen. We were in charge of picking up the survivors. We found Lady Zenna and Princess Mineva. They're here to. We found them and the wounded. It was worse than anything I imagined. We brought them here as ordered, but I don't know if any of them will make it. I don't know if any of us will." Her voice trailed off.

They all sat silently for a moment, it was Swaggard who broke the silence: "Sir, how are we going to prepare for what's coming? There has to be something we can do."

"Yes, Lee. I have a meeting tomorrow with some of the other commanders to work on some strategy. In the meantime, I think we all need some rest."

**December 29****th**** 0845**

Roher got to the briefing room early and took his seat. As the most senior officer, he sat at the head of the conference table. Austin had taken the rest of the team to train with the new recruits they had been assigned. With them included, the Fenrir boasted a strength of 33 mobile suits, though he was concerned over the recruits' lack of experience. He was soon joined by the other commanders: Commander Gabby Hazard, Lieutenant Shin Matsunaga, Lieutenant Commander Johnny Ridden, and Lieutenant Commander Anavel Gato. The Fenrir, Ridden's Chimera Corps, and Hazard's unit had been assigned to A Boa Qu's N Field under the direct command of Lord Gihren. Matsunaga and Gato's units, both comprised of Solomon survivors, were assigned to the S field under the command of Rear Admiral Aiguille Delaz.

"Good morning gentlemen." Roher began after the others had taken their seats. He waited as they grumbled their own greetings before continuing, "I think we all realize that time is short. The Federation will soon assault this position. Right now, I think the best use of our limited time is to best decide how we will proceed when that assault comes. Let's go over strength first. I have 33 pilots and 8 ships: the _Zanzibar Hornuz_ as our flagship, 2 _Chivvay_- class battleships, and 4 of the re-fitted _Musai_ types."

"I have 40 mobile suits at my disposal, all based on the _Dolos. _There are also about 140 more mobile suits aboard ship with us, all under different units." Gabby Hazard said.

"My unit is based on the _Dorowa _and has about 20 mobile suits left and 1 mobile armor. Lt. Matsunaga will be joining us with about 20 mobile suits also." Lt. Cdr. Gato responded in turn.

"The Chimera Corps has 31 mobile suits, the _Chimera_, and several Musai classes of varying configurations" Ridden finished.

"Good. Now, I think we should go over a battle plan-" Roher began.

"It is my understanding that the _Dorowa_ is only at half of its full capacity after the battle at Solomon. Why don't we transfer more suits there? Lady Kycilia is supposed to join us in S field, if the reports are true. Her forces will certainly add a lot to the effort there" Gabby Hazard interjected.

Roher turned to him, more than a little annoyed, "Commander Hazard, from what I understand, Lady Kycilia's arrival is still at least one day out, maybe more. S field is possibly the weakest defensive point and I want to make sure it is well manned. Also, I understand that the _Dolos_ class is only equipped with 2 catapults, making it very hard to launch all of its suits in a timely manner. I think it would be better to keep the number of suits where it is and fill the empty space with ammunition and fuel for resupply efforts. Any more questions?"

"No, sir." Hazard said sarcastically.

"Well then as for strategy, here is what I propose: since my unit and Ridden's will launch faster, we will engage the mobile suits. Hazard, your people should deal with the ships as you launch. Matsunaga, your suits are better equipped for close combat, so you should deal with the suits while Gato's men handle the ships." Roher explained.

"Sounds good. My high mobility types should be able to take on those Federation suits rather well." Matsunaga said.

"Good. Now, the situation has the potential to unravel very quickly. If any part of the defensive effort fails, the Federation will penetrate our lines easily. Therefore, make sure you and your pilots launch with as much ammo and weapons as you think you will need to be prepared for any eventuality." Roher finished as the officers began to clean up.

"Can I add something?" Ridden asked.

"Certainly Lieutenant Commander."

"We have at most a few days before the Federation gets here. I know that we are all tired, but I think it is a good idea if we make a commitment to regular daily training, even if it's just in the simulator. We've pretty much all been given new suits. We will be no good to anyone, least of all out subordinates, if we get shot down right out of hangar because we don't know how to use them."

"Well said. If there are no more questions, I suggest we get back to our soldiers." Roher said to close the meeting.

**December 31****st**** U.C. 0079 1300**

By 1300 on December 31st, the Federation attack was imminent. Their fleet was positioned to assault A Boa Qu from both the S and N fields. All pilots and ships had been placed on high alert and were awaiting launch orders. Zeon high command had decided to engage the enemy fleet with missiles, ships, and Gattle type fighters first, holding the mobile suits in reserve for the time being. Many of the Zeon soldiers and commanders doubted their chances of survival, no matter what Supreme commander Gihren Zabi claimed about the Federation forces being nearly wiped out.

"So that's the long and short of it everyone. We're launching as soon as his highness the supreme commander deigns to give the order." Roher said sarcastically as he finished his briefing.

"Huh. Well, as long as he doesn't give another idiotic speech, I'm happy!" Austin announced to the room.

"I dunno Matt, I maybe want to hear how the thousands of Feddies outside are just a frickin remnant!" laughed Renchef, drawing a few chuckles and a few more amused glances. Such were the advantages of serving in a unit under the authority of Rear Admiral Kycilia.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much. We can always beat them with our chosen, superior race abilities!" Roberto chimed in, "Well, you guys maybe, I'm just excess baggage anyway."

"Hey! I haven't let anyone call you excess baggage recently!" Austin shouted back, laughing.

"As I remember, it was you who gave him that nickname in the first place Matt." Roher said

"Uhhhh I give up!" Austin shouted, pretending to flip the briefing table over.

"Okay everyone, settle down," Roher said, trying to regain some semblance of control, "Get suited up and ready to launch in 15 minutes."

The pilots had been given the option of transitioning to the new pilot suits when they arrived in space, if they wished to take them. All of them except Swaggard and Renchef had taken the upgrade. The new suits had thicker armor to protect against possible shrapnel, more insulation and an internal oxygen supply in case they needed to eject or the life support system in their suit failed, and a rudimentary jet pack.

Roher was zipping up his suit and grabbing his gloves when Austin floated over. He was wearing a brand new light blue pilot suit, and his helmet was already on.

"Think we have any chance at this at all Lou?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know Matt. I was just informed that Lady Kycilia lost most of her fleet in battle with a federation unit led by the Trojan Horse, so we're not getting any reinforcements there." Roher answered as they started towards the hangar elevator.

"Damn. So what's our plan? Kill as many as we can before we go?"

"No. We're not going out there to die. If it looks like the battle is lost and there's still no surrender or retreat order, I will give the order to withdraw myself. I've already arranged it with Captain van Dorn and the other ship captains." Roher said as her pressed the button that would send the elevator to the flight deck. They rode down in silence, but when they reached the flight deck, Austin grabbed Roher's arm before they left the elevator.

"Listen, Lou, there's something I have to ask you…"

"Don't worry Matt, I will look after Vera if you don't make it. Will you look after my mother and Emily if I buy it out there?" He asked his friend.

" Of course I will. Even if her father is a rat prick." Austin laughed at the last part.

"Thanks you crazy old man." Roher chuckled and slapped Austin on the back, "Let's go welcome the latest tourists to Side 3."

As the entered the hangar of the Zanzibar, Roberto, Renchef, and four of the rookie pilots were waiting for them. Roberto was instructing the rookie pilots on the proper launch settings for their MS-14 Gelgoogs. Since the _Hornuz_ was a _Zanzibar II_, the suits would launch by means of a catapult on the port side of the ship, which the rookies had not been trained for. Renchef was already up in the cockpit of his MS-18E Kampfer, checking his ammunition and fuel settings.

"Ok. Everyone, let's get set. I'm thinking we only have a few minutes before the launch order is given." Roher said as he and Austin approached the other pilots.

As if on cue, the loudspeaker in the hangar bay came to life and Capt. van Dorn's voice rang through the ship, "Attention all hands, attention all hands: Lord Gihren has given the order for our mobile suits to engage the rapidly advancing Federation forces. Mobile suits to the catapult!"

"Alright! Here we go!" Austin exclaimed, slapping the other pilots on the back as he kicked off towards his new mobile suit.

Roher climbed up into the Gelgoog Jaeger and began the startup sequence while he secured his helmet and pulled his gloves on.

Austin launched first, followed by Roberto and the rookies, then Renchef, and finally, Roher himself.

As Roher was released from the catapult and sped through space, he opened up a channel to all the Fenrir pilots, "All Fenrir pilots, this is Roher. Remember, our target is the Federation mobile suits. And don't disregard those blue ball pods, they are equipped with a 360mm cannon, our armor cannot withstand that. Be careful, good luck!"

As he finished speaking, he saw the blue trails of the Federation mobile suits and gun pods heading for them. Gihren's asteroid missiles came whizzing out from behind them, tearing through the advancing mobile suits and ships. Some unsuspecting pilots got caught, but most were able to maneuver their suits out of the way of the slow-moving projectiles. The battle was on.

Austin led Roberto and the rookies into the approaching Federation mobile suits. He activated the auto-lock and brought his massive 880mm Raketen Bazooka up.

"Let's do this!"

He fired two rounds in quick succession, blasting one of the approaching GM's into a mass of burnt parts in space and tearing the right arm of another. Before he could fire a third time, he had to quickly dive to avoid a torrent of 90mm shells from the two mobile suits approaching behind their less fortunate comrades. His new high mobility Zaku was much faster than the Federation suits, by the time they had completed turning around, they were already face to face with the muzzle of the bazooka.

"Bye bye!"

One lost most of its upper half to a shell, while Austin's heat saber quickly sliced through the armor of the other.

"Johnson! Don't get too far from the rest of the unit! Damn it!" Austin called to one of the rookies, but it was too late, his Gelgoog had been surrounded and was filled with bullet holes.

"Damn you!" Roberto slammed his Gelgoog into reverse and sped back toward the quartet of GM's that had killed their teammate. Leveling his brand new beam rifle, he let loose four rapid shots, sending yellow spears lancing through the torsos of three of the suits. The fourth was able to bring his shield up to block the shot, saving his life but losing use of his left arm for the effort.

As the GM pilot took aim at Roberto's approaching suit, his suit exploded in a hail of bullets as Renchef's Kampfer flashed past.

"You owe me lieutenant!" He called as he darted through the advancing Federal mobile suits, 2 MMP-80's spraying a multitude of shells into the enemy.

"Thank you sir!" Roberto called after him, before following after Austin with his men.

In another part of the battlefield, Fran, Swaggard, Hepner, and Manning led the rest of the recruits in the defense of the carrier _Dolos_. They're task was to guard the rear of the advancing Zeon MS and protect the landing and re-launch of those returning to the carrier to refuel and rearm. Maj. Fran led this team, composed of Zakus and Doms, in the effort from the cockpit of her green MS-09F Dom Funf. Hepner and Swaggard each commanded a team of three other mobile suits. Swaggard still piloted his re-fitted MS-09R Rick Dom, while Hepner piloted the MS-09R-2 Rick Dom II.

"Die you bastards! Die! Die! Die!" Fran screamed manically as she blasted mobile suits left and right with her new beam bazooka. She had destroyed 5 suits almost immediately after launch, one of them by physically ripping the pilot out of the cockpit with her suit's hand when the weapon overheated. She was being given a wide berth by the other Zeon pilots.

"The major seems a little on edge, don't you think?" Swaggard commented as he sent another 880mm round tearing through one of the RB-79 Balls.

"Just keep your attention on the enemy in front of you Lee!" Hepner answered back as she downed one of the new command type GM's with her heat saber. "Oh shit!"

She swore and tried to dodge as a beam saber flashed at her from the right, taking off part of her bazooka. There was no way she could draw her heat sword in time, so she backpedaled at full speed to give herself more time. The move was unnecessary, as bullets from Manning's sniper squad ended the enemy suit's advance with a neat shot to the cockpit.

His team piloted the newest Zaku II model, the MS-06FZ. Their units were made with the "B" type "Fritz Helm" head unit and had been optimized at Granada for sniper operations. They had magnetic feet that were secured to the top of the _Dolos_ and were picking advancing Federation suits off from there.

"Ok. Next." Manning said to himself as he took aim at the bridge of one of a pair of _Salamis_-class cruisers that had somehow penetrated A Boa Qu's missiles, mobile suits, and the Zeon fleet. "Bingo."

His shot tore through the bridge, traveling at a upward angle. It took out the secondary steering bridge as well as the main command bridge. Without steering control, the ship careened off course and collided with the second vessel. He downed several more GM's and Balls in quick succession. It was obvious from his vantage point that the Zeons had far superior mobile suits, both in offensive and defensive capability. However, it was also apparent that the experience and numbers of the Federal forces gave them the advantage. He could tell that most of the Zeon pilots, even some of those assigned to the Fenrir lacked the ability to maneuver their suits correctly, let alone fight an experience and determined enemy. Even the best of suits could only take so much punishment before it failed.

"Here comes some more!" Swaggard called to the rest of the team as Federation reinforcements arrived.

Led by a team consisting of 4GM Commands, it was a unit of about 15 mobile suits and almost twice as many Balls.

"Damn it!" Fran swore as she swung her saber into one of the suits. She was back to back with Hepner, who was also limited to her saber after losing the bazooka to the GM's beam saber earlier.

"Get out of there! You're too close, we can't get a shot! Forget it!" Manning yelled as he disengaged the magnets, drew his own heat saber, and dove into the melee.

As they sliced their way through the Federal throng, Swaggard found himself face to face with two of the advancing GM Commands. He could just barely make out a "4th MS Team" patch painted on their chests. He let loose his last few shots from his Raketen Bazooka, they easily dodged.

"These guys are good!"

He threw away the empty bazooka and brought up an MMP-78 machine gun that he had brought into battle bolted to his suit's rear waist armor. He sprayed bullets in the direction of the GM's, but they dodged those as well. The few shots they couldn't avoid embedded themselves harmlessly into their large shields. Apparently annoyed with his resistance, on the GM's brought up a 90mm machine gun and fired a bust that hit the torso of Swaggard's Dom, sending shrapnel into his cockpit. The shards of glass and metal pierced his pilot suit, staining the green material red with blood. His right arm now useless, he reached over and grabbed the right stick with his left hand so he could continue firing, even as he retreated. The GM that had not fired at him charged with beam sabers drawn. Despite being clipped several times by Swaggard, he kept advancing, the light weight of his suit coupled with the reduced speed of the damaged Dom allowed him to overtake it. He brought both of his beam sabers down in a giant "X" through Swaggard's suit. His mooneye flickered and died before the suit itself erupted in a spectacular explosion.

"Swaggard's been hit! I say again: We've lost Swaggard!" Hepner announced as she, Fran and Manning attempted to charge after the GM Commands, but were blocked by more Federation mobile suits.

"Son of a-" Renchef yelled as he reversed course and headed to their location, Roher's Gelgoog Jaeger right on his tail.

Renchef ended several pilots as he blasted through space with his MMP-80's constantly firing. When those were emptied, he threw them aside and drew his shotgun, which made short work of any Federation suits that dared to cross his path. Roher guarded his rear with his beam machine gun, keeping a steady barrage of beam fire up against the approaching enemy. One suit dared to charge his left side brandishing a beam saber, only to have its pilots life violently ended by a burst from Roher's forearm machine gun. When they reached the rest of the team, they found them surrounded on all sides by mobile suits. Hepner's Dom was badly damaged and Manning's suit had lost its left arm and leg.

"Incoming!" Roher announced as he blitzed the Federation suits at full speed, riddling them with rapid beam fire. As they turned to fire up at him, Renchef came in with his beam sabers from behind and sliced them to pieces. Roher flipped over in space and hurtled back towards the enemy, impaling the last GM on the end of his own beam saber.

"We need to return to the ships for re-arming and to get you 2 new suits."

"Sir, I'm getting an emergency transmission!" Hepner said, patching the message through to Roher.

Read Admiral Kycilia appeared on the view screen in Roher's cockpit.

"Lt. Col. Roher." She said.

"Yes ma'am. What are your orders?" Roher responded.

"My _Gwazine_ is arriving on the field. We have lost our mobile suits in combat. Escort my shuttle to the fortress."

"Yes ma'am! You heard her, to the _Gwazine_!"

They reached the ship and escorted her shuttle to one of the fortress's numerous hangars with surprisingly little resistance. When they had all landed, Manning in more of a crash than a landing, they met her in the lounge just outside the hangar.

"What is the state of your unit?" She asked Roher as he approached.

"We're down to about ¾ strength. We've lost Swaggard and a handful of our rookies. We have 3 mobile suits out of commission: Austin's and Manning's Zaku's and Hepner's Dom."

"That many, in only 2 hours? Not good. I am heading to the command center. Wait here while your suits are repaired, refueled, and rearmed. I will see what we can to about getting new suits for you three." She said, indication Hepner, Manning, and Austin, "You are doing well. Get whatever rest you can while you wait." She finished, giving them a rare small smile before heading into the lift with her aide.

The team waited for 2 and a half hours inside the fortress while the battle raged outside. The mechanics managed to locate another Zaku IIFZ for Manning, though without the sniper modifications. They also found an old Zaku IS which they quickly prepared for Austin. Hepner was given an MS-06R-1 high mobility type Zaku II that had been left in the hangar when its pilot was killed by a Federation missile strike. These suits, along with the others, were prepared in one of the fortress's launch bays, ready for the Fenrir to launch into combat once again.

"Ok everyone, Lady Kycilia has issued us new orders." Roher began as the Fenrir suits filed up to the catapult for launch, "We need to focus on their heavy battleships, they're getting too close to the fortress and their heavy guns are doing a number on our own fleet. Engage enemy mobile suits as the opportunity presents itself."

Roher's Gelgoog shot off the catapult just ahead of Renchef. Just ahead of him, Austin, Roberto, and several of the recruits had formed up to blitz 3 _Salamis_-class cruisers that had bunched together.

"Felix, Art, form up behind me. We're attacking that battleship group to the left. I'll take the _Magellan_ and the _Salamis_ on the right. Felix, you take the _Salamis_ on the left and that supply ship lurking behind it. Art, keep the mobile suits off us."

"Let's do it!"

"Roger that sir!"

As they sped off, Austin was just starting to make a run on the enemy ship with the smaller 280mm Zaku bazooka. While not as effective as the newer 360mm or the gigantic 880mm, it was still a formidable weapon, especially in Austin's hands. He sent two rounds into the first _Salamis_'s missile port missile pod, causing a massive explosion that split the ship in two. He looked over at the other ship to see Roberto and the other Gelgoog pilots speeding towards the bridge, firing their beam rifles into the hull of the ship. By the time Roberto pulled up in front of the bridge and blasted its command crew with his rifle, all of the forward turrets were inoperable from their fire.

"Good job tenderfoots! Alright, let's get those supply ships. Dumb bastards, coming into a battle. Oh shit! Evade! Evade!"

As they turned towards the _Columbus _– class vessels, they dropped their doors open and release not mobile suits or pods or even fighters, but a torrent of small missiles. Despite the age of his suit, Austin managed to dodge the missiles and take cover behind the hulk of the ship he had destroyed. Roberto and the rookies were not so lucky however. Roberto's shield was halved by one of the projectiles and part of his skirt armor torn off. 4 of the rookies that had been with him were killed when they could not maneuver their suits out of the way in time.

"Ok. Time to die now you jackass!"

Austin rushed forward and discharged a round into the bridge of one of the ships, before rolling over and, throwing away his now empty bazooka, drew a MMP-80 and let loose a deluge of shells into the other ship. They didn't explode, but were left as smoking hulks in space.

"Nikki, Dietrich! Stop gawking around! Engage these mobile suits now!" he called as he charged forward into the advancing enemy, firing his machine gun. The two other pilots quickly recovered and followed him in their Gelgoogs.

Meanwhile, Manning and 5 of the other new pilots were engaging mobile suits as well. As Roher and Renchef made short work of the ships, they kept up a steady barrage of machine gun and bazooka fire against the approaching Federation suits. Even as the unit of Zakus downed unit after unit, there were always more to take their places.

"Let's do this Felix: You go below and hit them with your machine guns, I'll go above and strafe." Roher ordered, readying his weapon.

"Alright, just don't shoot me!"

Renchef pushed his Kampfer to its top speed and, on his back facing the underside of the _Salamis_-class, began firing both of his machine guns, as well as his vulcan cannons into its hull. Above the ship, Roher flew just behind Renchef, firing a storm of small beams through the top of the ship. He disabled the forward turret and AA battery before flying in front of the superstructure, riddling it with beam shots, and then over it and down the stern of the ship, disabling the engine. The flew on, leaving that ship lifeless. The flew next to each other in tight formation heading for the _Magellan_ that had been following the _Salamis_. The split at the bow: Roher took starboard and Renchef took port. The followed the same program, firing into the ship as the sped along its length, finishing with a barrage to the engines that put the ship out of commission. Afterwards Renchef dumped both of his empty machine guns and pulled out 2 of the Kampfer's chain mines, releasing them into space.

"That should give these jokers a nasty surprise if they try to penetrate here." He laughed as he drew a giant bazooka that was stored on his back and sped off after Roher in the direction of more Federation ships.

Meanwhile, Fran and Hepner led the rest of the rookies in a charge on more Federation ships.

"This is going to be bad" Hepner said as she checked her ammo and fuel.

"Well yeah, all we have are Zakus and 1st edition Rick Doms with rookie pilots. They'll get eaten up by the AA fire." Fran agreed as she sped up, "Let's try to thin them out," she extended her communications to the rookies, "alright you guys. Captain Hepner and I are going to thin the enemy AA fire out. Follow close behind us and destroy the rest of the ships!"

She pushed her boosters to maximum power and flashed towards the first ship, a _Magellan-_class. She took aim with her Giant Bazooka, blasting 360mm holes in the AA batteries, destroying some of the guns outright and disabling others. She moved on, letting the other pilots handle the destruction of the ship. Hepner did the same as she flew between 2 _Salamis_-class ships. The raw speed of her high mobility Zaku, coupled with her skill as a pilot, allowed her to dodge the fire thrown at her almost too easily. Her machine gun threw out a relentless stream of bullets, penetrating the turrets and killing their crews. She also destroyed the outboard gunnery bridges as well for good measure.

As they exited the formation of vessels, they were met by more crowds of GM's and Balls.

"Dammit! Listen up! There's a formation of enemy mobile suits beyond the ships! Be aware of enemy fire when you exit the fleet formation!" Announced Fran as she and Hepner began to deal with the suits.

Fran emptied her Bazooka, taking out a GM and 2 Balls in the process. She drew her heat sword and proceeded to engage them in close combat. 4 Balls were sliced in half in rather quick succession. The GM's on the other hand were harder to deal with and required more precision. The first 2 were destroyed before they could even lock on or draw their own beam sabers. Fran's third target was not so stupid. He attempted to engage Fran with the saber, only to miss when she quickly changed direction with a blast of her verniers and dashed to his right. He attempted to bring his saber around, but his arm was lopped off before he could. Followed by his head.

Nearby, Hepner was having problems with her own opponents. Two commander GM's with beam sabers were trying to pin her down from both sides. Unfortunately for them, her suit was faster than theirs and allowed her to lead them around the battlefield, never quite letting them catch up to her. Unfortunately for her, the Heat Hawk didn't give her enough reach to attack one of them without risking getting skewered by the other.

"Looks like you could use some help their Captain!"

An orange and black Zaku II R-2 high mobility type flashed in from her flank and riddled one of the GM's with 120mm shells. When the other one tried to follow him, it stopped dead when a yellow beam lanced through its cockpit. Hepner looked to the origin of the beam to see a red and black high mobility Gelgoog as it darted away, back into the battle.

"Thanks guys!" Hepner called after them as she picked up a machine gun that was clutched by the disembodied arm of a Rick Dom. It was half full. She quickly scouted the wrecks around her and pulled a few drums off of another disabled suit. She didn't even think about the pilot, she was used to doing what she had to do to survive at this point.

A flash bulletin came across the text messenger on their suits' HUDs: "Supreme Commander Gihren Zabi dead. Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi in command."

"Can you believe that Lou?!" Renchef exclaimed as he turned another Federation pilot into hamburger with his shotgun.

"No surprise. Kycilia probably blew his brains out or something." Roher answered.

"Not sorry to see that bastard go!" Austin joined in, almost gleeful as another Federation officer fell before him, "although not sure it will help. Both _Dolos_ and _Dorowa _have gone down."

"Damn! What the Hell?!" Roher bellowed at his radar.

"What's going on? Lou?" Matt asked as he signaled Roberto to follow him towards Fran's position.

"Delaz is pulling his fleet out of the battle! Gato's with him!"

Austin swore loudly. The loss of a whole fleet was only going to hasten their defeat, which they did no longer doubt.

Soon after, Roberto and Austin fought their way over to Fran and Hepner's forces. They were accompanied by another pilot, the last of the new recruits that had been assigned to them. Fran and Hepner also had only one of their recruits left.

"Manning's in trouble, we better head over there." Austin told them as flew past. He had evidently run out of ammo. His Zaku was now sporting a Dom's heat sword, his own heat saber on his skirt armor, and a GM shield in his left hand. His mobile suit was relatively undamaged. Roberto's was missing the lower half of one of its legs.

The other suits followed Austin as they sped back towards the fortress. The found Manning and 3 other pilots on its surface, trying their hardest to repel Federation forces intent on landing on the fortress and forcing their way inside. Their advance was covered by artillery fire from the _Trojan Horse_ type ship they had encountered at Jaburo, the _Blanc Rival_. Though the Gundam was not there this time; Schmitzer had seen to that.

"This is not good. Listen up! Fran, O'Keefe, and I will attack the ship. Everyone else, get those mobile suits!" Roberto ordered as the came upon their comrades.

"Look at you, taking charge! Good Job! You heard the man, let's go!" Austin said approvingly, leading Hepner and the remaining recruit pilot against the mobile suits.

Fran readied a bazooka she had taken from a GM on her way back. It was the same caliber as the Giant Bazooka and held more ammo. She followed behind Roberto and O'Keefe as they blitzed the battleship. The two Gelgoogs kept up a steady stream of fire, taking out most of the forward turrets.

"I've got the engines!" Fran called as she readied a multi-lock on both engines and the bridge of the warship.

She sent rounds into the engines first. They penetrated just forward of the air intakes used during atmospheric flight. The ship slowed as those rounds detonated and the engines began to shut down. Fran continued firing until most of the engine compartments were little more than charred hulks before reloading and taking aim at the various maneuvering thrusters.

O'Keefe aimed his Gelgoog at the front of the ship, between the front hangar "legs" and began a blitz at high speed. He had exhausted his beam rifle's ammo earlier and was now brandishing an MMP-80. He locked on to each of the turrets and fired a short burst at each of them as he passed. The ship was only outfitted with 2 beam cannons on the "shields" on either side of the ship, so his bullets were more than enough to detonate the solid shells inside the shell-firing turrets that remained after the initial assault. The AA guns on the ship weren't fast enough to track his high-speed attack, and the bullets flew through empty space after he had already passed. On the way back, he used a missile launcher mounted to his left arm to destroy the two large beam cannons.

Roberto was the last one to make his attack. His charge was made difficult by the fact his target was the ship's bridge, which was in the center of a nest of AA guns. As he headed in, he simply dodged up and down, as the change in elevation was difficult for the Federation guns to manage. Once he got closer to the ship, he began to dodge in all directions and fly erratically. The gunners were too slow to follow his movements with their guns and the automated turrets began firing uncontrollably when the control computers couldn't track and predict his trajectory and crashed. He pulled up in front of the superstructure and discharged 2 shots into both the main and secondary bridge, effectively dispatching the control of the ship, both in terms of command and steering. This, coupled with Fran's attack, meant that the ship began to careen out of control toward the asteroid.

Meanwhile, Hepner and Austin attacked the Federation mobile suits from the rear, destroying several of them in the surprise attack, before the rest of them got wise and turned around. Manning and his men fought the Federation suits hand-to-hand as they had exhausted their ammunition. Manning himself had just finished dispatching a GM with his heat saber when he was confronted on his right side by a heavily armored GM Cannon. It looked like something of a cross between a standard GM Cannon and a Guncannon. Manning was able to dash backwards and out of the way of his first shot from the back mounted cannon, which flew out into space. The pilot attempted to draw a beam saber from his left hip, since he too seemed to have exhausted his machine gun ammunition. However, Manning was fast enough to attack him with the heat saber first. While the enemy was able to escape before his whole arm was severed, it was rendered useless by Manning's slash and the saber hilt fell to the ground.

They faced each other, seemingly in a bubble as the battle raged around them. Manning recognized the emblem on the GM's chest as the same emblem that had been displayed by Lt. Agar, the Fenrir's nemesis and the one that had killed Schmitzer. He had not been killed as Roher had thought after all.

"So you're still alive?" Manning said into the radio, hoping the enemy would pick it up amongst the chatter.

"I am. And it seems that you will be the next of your unit to fall. Your commander was quite easy to dispatch, I must say." His voice came back, oily this time and menacing, rather than angry.

The main advantage of the Zaku II FZ was its speed and thrust. Manning knew that Agar needed to set his feat in order to fire his main gun, otherwise his suit would be knocked off by the recoil, which was more severe in zero-G than on Earth. If he could dash to the side and then quickly change direction and charge Agar before he was prepared to fire, he might have a chance to beat him. When he noticed that Agar was getting ready to fire, he ignited his boosters and dove to the side. When Agar tried to follow him, he quickly changed direction using a liberal amount of thrust from his vernier thrusters and charged the Federation pilot. He wasn't prepared for the speed with which he closed the distance and was unable to bring his saber up in time. Instead, he ended up tackling the enemy to the surface of the fortress. He tried to bring his sword up to stab, but he had given his opponent all the time that he had needed.

With the need to brace his mobile suit gone, Agar was free to ready the cannon. He quickly hit the "load" button and then activated the aiming system. Fortunately for him, there was little aiming to do, as Manning was already on top of him. He pointed the cannon at the center of the FZ's chest and pulled the trigger on his left hand control stick. The shell penetrated the Zaku's body and exploded inside, sending parts of the generator, reactor, engines, and the contents of the cockpit through the back of the mobile suit and into space. Roher and Renchef, who had just arrived at the site of the melee, witnessed Manning's death at the hands of Agar.

"You bastard!" Roher charged forward brandishing his beam saber, followed close behind by Renchef. Agar attempted to get up, but was quickly kicked in the face by Roher, who then beheaded the suit. Agar was barely able to climb out the back of his suit and take cover before his cockpit was filled by shotgun pellets from Renchef's weapon.

"Listen up!" Roher called over the comm, "Lady Kycillia has decided to abandon the fortress. She has ordered us and the remainder of the Chimera Corps to guard her retreat. Get back to the hangar to re-fuel and re-arm."

They landed in one of the mobile suit hangars near the space ship dock where the _Chimera_, the ship Lady Kycillia planned to escape on, was docked. As their suits were re-fueled and re-armed for the final time, Roher looked out at what was left of his unit from the hangar floor. Of the 33 suits that had launched under his command at the first sortie, only 10 remained. Both Swaggard and Manning were dead. And now the Fenrir and Chimera corps were tasked with the impossible: defending a single ship against the rapidly advancing Federation forces. When the word was given, they entered their cockpits again for the last time of the war.

"Here's the plan, "Roher said as he strapped back into the Jaeger, "once the _Chimera_ launches, it will head immediately for Axis. The _Gwazine_ is guarding our retreat with what is left of the fleet and will follow us. Lady Zenna and Princess Mineva have been brought aboard the _Gwazine_, and so that is our secondary defense target. Any questions?"

There were no questions to be asked, only last minute prayers to be said, a moment to collect their thoughts before the elevator brought them to the surface of the fortress and back into the fray.

When they came out, there were Federation mobile suits everywhere. Roher led the Fenrir to where the Chimera pilots were, taking cover in the craters of the base near the elevator that was bringing the _Zanzibar_ up to the surface. Roher opened fire with his beam machine gun as he took a position next to Johnny Ridden's Gelgoog. He downed 5 mobile suits and Ball pods in quick succession, but there were still more coming.

"Ridden! How much longer?" He called over the comm.

"About two minutes until the ship can take off! Damn!" He swore as a beam tore his left arm off.

"I don't think we have 2 minutes!" Roher continued firing, trying to spray as many beam shots towards the enemy as possible. He wasn't concerned about kills anymore, just about disabling the suits enough that they couldn't destroy the ship or shoot down the mobile suits.

Roher stole a glance over to the _Chimera_ as it began ascending into space under its own power, only to see a small figure darting toward the bridge. He saw a flash, and a not even a second later, the bridge of the ship exploded.

"Shit! We're abandoning this position! To the _Gwazine_!" He shouted into the comm as he slammed his booster pedals to the floor and blasted away from the asteroid, into the Federation fleet.

"What's going on?" Austin asked as he followed his commander, firing his machine gun indiscriminately.

"Someone just killed Lady Kycilia! We have no reason to remain here anymore!" Roher answered as he cut a GM in half with his beam saber.

The call soon spread like wildfire that Lady Kycilia was dead. Zeon troops began fleeing in every direction or making suicide runs directly into the heart of the Federation forces. Ridden followed them as far as he could, but he was swarmed by Federation pilots. The last the Fenrir saw of him he was fighting in the middle of a group of GM's with his beam saber.

"Go on! Get out of here!" He called after them as they closed in on him.

Just as they crested the top of the fortress at full speed, they were beset by a group of 3 GM's. One quickly fell to a blast from Renchef's shotgun, and another to a barrage from the Fenrir's machine guns and bazookas. The third, however, was able to dodge the opening salvo, and sent a beam straight at Austin's Zaku I. He was able to dodge enough to avoid a fatal hit, but the beam cut through his left arm and leg, disabling them.

"You bastard!" He shouted as he let loose another barrage that ended the pilot's life and left he mobile suit as a lifeless hulk in space.

"Matt, how bad's the damage?" Fran asked as she came up from behind.

"Not too bad, I should be able to make it back to the ship.' He answered matter of factly as the team kept going.

As they sped towards the _Gwazine_'s location, a transmission came through from Granada on all channels: "Attention all Zeon officers and soldiers. I am Prime Minister Darcia Bakharov. Supreme Commander Gihren Zabi, along with Real Admiral Kycilia Zabi, have lost their lives in battle. The Republic of Zeon and the Earth Federation have agreed to a cease-fire. I have lawful authority to give the order: immediately cease combat and lay down your weapons. I repeat: immediately cease combat and lay down your weapons. The war is over." The message continued to play on repeat until Roher shut the volume off.

"I doubt the Federation's just going to let us walk out of here, we need to get to that ship!"

They soon came in sight of the _Gwazine_ and its escorts. It had launched just before Kycilia's ill-fated attempt at escaping. The small flotilla had made it quite far before being beset by a small group of Federation ships, clearly positioned to stop any forces from escaping towards Axis. Mobile suits dashed around the ships, the Zeons more concerned with keeping the Federation suits away from the _Gwazine_ than with attacking the Federation ships. The Zeon forces were led by a Gelgoog Jaeger, the same suit that Roher was piloting.

The Fenrir wasted no time in diving into combat. Austin kept his damaged suit near the Zeon ships, providing cover fire with Hepner and the remaining trainee pilots. They appeared to have lost Roberto and 2 other pilots in the melee around the fortress. Roher, Fran, and Renchef charged toward the 3 Federation ships.

"Here's the plan: 1 ship each, "Roher said as he took aim at the _Magellan_, "I've got the _Magellan_.

The three pilots flew towards the ships, taking aim at the vital locations on each vessel: the superstructure and engines. Roher went in first, firing his last few shots from the beam machine gun, finally exhausting his ammo. He managed to disable about half of the engines and out enough holes in the main and secondary bridges to ensure that whoever wasn't killed by the shots was sucked out into space.

Renchef attacked the bridge of his _Salamis_ with the head mounted vulcan guns that he hadn't really used for most of the battle. Just as Roher did, he didn't try to decimate the bridge, only to render it incapable of controlling the ship. As for the engines, he unslung his last chain mine and wrapped it around the ship's single engine as best he could before flying away at top speed to avoid the explosion which not only disabled the engines, but took half of the ship with it. Fran had also quickly dispatched her target using the Raketen Bazooka she had taken from the fortress when they last launched.

Back at the _Gwazine_, the rest of the Federation mobile suits had been dispatched thanks to the efforts of the Zeon pilots.

"Midnight Fenrir, thank you for your assistance," the pilot of the Jaeger said, but we cannot afford to be slowed down by taking on additional mobile suits. You will have to find your own route of retreat."

In their cockpits, the Fenrir pilots all gasped in surprise. The pilot of the Gelgoog was Char Aznable.

"Captain Aznable, you may wish to reconsider your position." Roher said as he flew up near the other Jaeger. It was finally time to use the secret that the Fenrir knew about him. Roher held his beam saber in his hand, just in case threats didn't work.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because otherwise you will die."

"Are you threatening me lieutenant colonel?" Aznable asked, bringing up his beam machinegun.

"No sir. I won't raise a hand to you. I can't guarantee what the crew of the _Gwazine _will do when they hear what the Fenrir knows, however." Roher said, choosing his words carefully; if he misspoke, Char might just shoot him before he had a chance to finish.

"What are you talking about?"

Bingo.

"Lord Garma. You led him into a trap. We heard the whole thing over the radio, and I have the recording ready to play at the push of a button. Wonder how our allies will react to a man who murdered the darling of Zeon. Oh, and before you think of shooting me, all of the other Fenrir pilots here have the same recording. It will get out no matter what." He hoped this last bluff might stay Char's hand. There was silence on the other end of the line for a few very long seconds.

"_Gwazine_, make room for the Fenrir to land in the hangar."

The flew up into the hangar and moved to berths around the walls and ceiling. There were a depressing number of open ones, even with the Fenrir suits. Just as Austin entered and the blast door began to close, the intercom came on: "Attention! Attention! There is a Federation _Magellan _class coming up fast from behind us!"

"Damn it!" Char swore, most of the suits in the hangar were damaged, low on fuel, and out of ammo. Some were even already docked with the ship and would take a few minutes to be ready for combat again.

"I've got this. Lou, remember what you promised."

"Matt, what are you going to do?!" Roher yelled as Austin Zaku disappeared out of the closing hangar door. To Roher's knowledge, he hadn't taken a weapon with him.

Despite his protestations, the hangar crew wouldn't unhook the Jaeger from the _Gwazine_ so that he could launch himself. He was forced to watch on his radar as the small green dot that was Matt headed towards the large purple dot that was the enemy ship, picking up speed as he went until both disappeared. He turned off his radio so the others couldn't hear the sobs as the _Gwazine_ sped away at full speed, leaving the Earth Sphere behind.

**End of Chapter 12**

**THE END**


	15. Epilogue

_Disclaimer- I don't own MSG, Zeonic Front, etc. they are the property of Bandai Entertainment and their respective creators._

_The war has finally ended. This is the final record of the Fenrir from the One Year War _

**Epilogue**

**From the Memoirs of Lt. Col. Louis G. Roher**

As we traveled to Axis, we were receiving flash messages from Zeons around the Earth Sphere, as well as news transmissions from both Zeon civilian broadcasters and the Earth Federation. Prime Minister Bakharov's message had been confirmed by the Earth Federation soon after we boarded the _Gwazine_. We were silent as we exited our mobile suits and changed out of our pilot suits. The loss of Matt was something almost impossible to bear. It still is.

Of the 33 pilots who launched on December 31st under the Fenrir banner, only 10 remained alive. Of those 10, 3 had been capture by the enemy. Roberto and 2 other pilots were not with us on the trip to Axis. The trip to the asteroid belt was long, but uneventful. The forces there, under the command of Admiral Mahajara Karn, were unware of the loss of the war and only learned of it with our arrival. The day after we arrived, a formal "coronation" ceremony was held for Mineva Zabi, now the only remaining heir to the Zabi legacy. Kycilia, Gihren, and Garma had all died childless. It was a strange experience, to see this small baby, not even a year old, held on a massive golden throne by her mother, saddled with the ruling of a failed nation. As part of the cease fire agreement, the Duchy of Zeon had ceased to exist, and only the pre-war Republic of Zeon remained. Adm. Karn was installed as Mineva's regent, and quickly set about marshaling forces in case the Federation chose to assault Axis as well. They never came. Several patrols came by in the weeks following the War, but nothing more came of them. The Federation had been exhausted as well, and the now controlled Side 3, so there was no reason for them to seek our eradication. At first, we figured that we could never return to the Earth Sphere. Almost all special forces units: us, the Chimera Corps, Char's 300th Independent Corps, and others, were all designated as war criminals. While the Earth Federation civilian government espoused reconciliation, the military officials that governed the captured Zeon territory were more interested in retribution. I'm fairly certain that Adm. O'Connell, the officer who took over after Revil's death, would have murdered every Zeon he could get his hands on if he could have. Instead, he had to confine himself to so-called war criminals.

We had all assumed that Roberto and the others had been executed. At least until we received a message from Roberto. I didn't believe it at first, I figured it was some kind of ploy, but as soon as he referred to himself as "excess baggage", a nickname Matt had given him, I knew it was genuinely him. Apparently, a quick thinking officer at Granada had purged all of Kycilia's files when he heard of her death. The only other record of the Fenrir's roster was held aboard her quarters on the _Gwazine_. When the Federation began running the names of the POW's through the database, all that came up was their service records sans any mention of being a special forces soldier. We were in the clear. The Zeon media never published any of our names, except Garrett, and always referred to us as a group. There were a few people that knew of us by name, but that did not matter. Too many men in bars would claim to have flown with us or with Char or with Ridden for a chance at a free drink or date for the evening. Officially, the Fenrir was a unit with only 5 members: Garrett Schmitzer, Lee Swaggard, Arthur Manning, Sandra Donnelly, and Matt Austin, all of whom were KIA.

Soon after hearing from Roberto, we returned to Zeon. Fran and Renchef elected to stay behind on Axis, but Hepner, myself, and the rest of our former pilot trainees, now aces, returned. What happened to us after? Nothing all that interesting. Roberto and Hepner both serve in the Zeon Defense Forces now. I heard rumors that they're dating, but I never did go in for pilots' mess rumors anyway. I have not heard from Fran or Renchef in the 7 years since the war ended. They may have fought with Delaz and perished, or they may still be on Axis; I do not know.

As for me, I went back and married Emily. We have 2 children, a daughter Sandy and son Matt, both named for friends that are no longer here with us. I finished my engineering doctorate and now work for a shipbuilding company based on Side 4. I still keep in touch with Matt's family and send them money from time to time and visit a few times a year to check in on them, just like I promised Matt I would do. I would say we are doing well. I am not ashamed of my service, though I do not advertise it. Sometimes I think about going back into the service. My uniform and pilot suit hang neatly in the back of mine and Emily's closet in garment bags. I guess I might consider fighting again if it was absolutely necessary, but I have grown accustomed to the quite life of an engineer and family man. Garrett was fond of saying that we would fight for the love of those at home. That as long as they were threatened, our own battle would likely never end. Maybe he was right. I hope I never have to find out.

_/ thank you to all who have read this story from start to finish. I never thought that it would take me from the beginning of my freshman year of college until the end to finish this story, but it has. And now it is over. I do have a new piece I am working on. It is a Federation story based somewhat on Federation vs. Zeon, but also on other games and mostly plotlines that I have come up with. First chapter should be up soon. Thank you again. _


End file.
